Malta to simplify eID card use

The government of Malta is making it easier to use its new eID card online, according to announcements by the country’s Information Technology Agency (MITA) and Identity Malta, the agency responsible for issuing electronic identity cards for Maltese citizens.

Earlier this month, MITA upgraded the country’s electronic identity system. “The newly upgraded system will see the provisioning of an upgraded technology infrastructure for better performance, stability and reliability. This will allow the Government to pursue the next phases of the planned simplification of the user authentication experience”, MITA explained on its website.

Malta transitioned to eID cards, and ID cards without chips are no longer valid as of 31 December last year.

The chip on the eID Card allows users to access eGovernment services. “The advanced electronic features of the card will also enable electronic signatures which are legally equivalent to handwritten signatures”, the government explains in an introduction to the new cards. The chip includes two digital certificates for authentication and signatures, along with applications for ticketing and an electronic purse.

 

More information:

Malta’s eID card
Using the eID card for Maltese eGovernment services