According to Taavi Ploompuu, Deputy Director General of the Information System Authority (RIA), the Eesti app is a natural step in the development of the digital state, bringing state services even closer to the people. ‘The new proof of identity feature will allow people to securely and easily submit their documents directly via their smart device. As the use of the app is voluntary, we are giving both service providers and users time to get used to the new solution,’ said Ploompuu.
According to Ploompuu, the proof of identity solution will be available on the app as early as next Monday. ‘This means that service providers can now familiarise themselves with the solution, test it in their systems and deploy it according to their own workflow and needs,’ added Ploompuu.
Among the first private sector service providers to start using the new feature are Confido Medical Centre and Fertilitas. Among the public sector, the first to introduce the identification function is the Pärnumaa branch of the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund.
At the Confido Medical Centre, customers will be able to show their document details directly via the Eesti app. This means that the user opens their document via the app and submits the information displayed on the screen to a customer service representative of Confido.
‘In the medical sector, the storage and processing of personal data is an integral part of our daily work, and something that we at Confido take very seriously. It is great that the technological possibilities of e-Estonia have been taken one step further, now allowing people to be officially identified through the Eesti app. This will make the identification process much more convenient for both patients and our customer service staff,’ said Edvard Garder,’ CEO of Confido.
At Fertilitas, customers can submit their document barcode via the Eesti app, which is scanned by a customer service representative – the user’s details are then displayed in the service provider’s system. The service provider scans the bar code presented by the user just like from a physical document.
‘We want to offer our customers a faster and more convenient service. We believe that the innovative solution of the Eesti app will help us to better meet this goal and create an even smoother experience for our users,’ said Diana Kask, Technical Support Specialist at Fertilitas.
For the verification methods described above, the user must also open their document photo by clicking on the ‘Open photo’ button on the screen in order to prove their identity.
Pursuant to an amendment to the Identity Documents Act, service providers can verify the identity of their customers via the Eesti app, which is equivalent to verifying the identity of a customer on the basis of e.g. passport or ID card data.
The user must first download the app from the App Store or Google Play store and sign in using Mobile-ID, Smart-ID or EU eID to use the proof of identity function of the Eesti app. Then, in the document view, the user can open the desired document and select the ‘Display identification code’ button. A unique QR code will be displayed on your smart device, valid for three minutes, which can only be read via the Eesti app.
The service provider must also be logged in to the Eesti app and where they can open the ‘Scan document’ button in the document view. After scanning the QR code of the user, the most important data of the person verified will be displayed on the service provider’s device for up to 30 seconds.
In addition to the QR code, other solutions are available for verifying the document details of the user, depending on the situation. All the possible verification methods and their instructions are available on the website of RIA: There are several options for checking the document details displayed in the Eesti app.
Anyone who has already downloaded the Eesti app should update the app on 7 July to ensure that the proof of identity function is correctly displayed and usable.
It should be noted that the document data in the Eesti app can only be used on the territory of Estonia and does not replace a physical document at international level. It is not possible to apply for new documents via the app. Although the app makes it more convenient for people to prove their identity, they will still need to carry a physical document until the new solution becomes more widely used.
Launched on 9 December 2024, the Eesti app is a national mobile application that provides users with convenient and easy access to various government services via their smart device, regardless of location or time. The app allows you to view your identity documents and securely use over 50 services. To date, 52,000 people have downloaded the app. The Eesti app is available in both Estonian and English and requires an internet connection to work.
