List of national identity card policies by country



This is a list of identity document policies by country.

A national identity document is an identity card with a photo, usable as an identity card at least inside the country, and which is issued by an official authority.

Driver's licenses and other cards issued by state or regional governments indicating certain permissions are not counted here as national identity cards. So for example, by this criterion, the United States driver's license is excluded, as these are issued by local (state) governments.

Countries with compulsory identity cards
According to a 1996 publication by Privacy International, around 100 countries had enacted laws making identity cards compulsory. In these countries, the card must be shown on demand by authorized personnel under specified circumstances. In some countries alternative proof of identity, such as a driving licence is acceptable. Privacy International said that "virtually no common law country has a card". One noticeable exception is Hong Kong (a common law jurisdiction).

The term "compulsory" may have different meanings and implications in different countries. of a card may only become compulsory at a certain age. There may be a penalty for not a card or similar official identification such as a passport. In some cases a person may be detained until identity is proven. This facilitates police identification of fugitives. In some countries, police need a reason, such as suspicion of a crime or security risk. In other countries, police can ask for official identification without stating a reason. Random checks are rare, except in police states. Normally there is an age limit, such as 18, after which possession is mandatory, even if minors aged 15–17 may need a card in order to prove that they are under 18.

In the European Union, a citizen's national identity card, if it complies with certain technical standards and states citizenship, can in most cases be used to travel (within the EU) in lieu of a passport.

Countries with non-compulsory identity cards
These are countries where official authorities issue identity cards to those who request them, but where it is not illegal to be without an official identity document. For some services, identification is needed, but documents such as passports or identity cards issued by banks or driving licences can be used. In countries where national identity cards are fully voluntary, they are often not so commonly used, because many already have a passport and a driving licence, so a third identity document is often considered superfluous.

Countries with no identity cards
These are countries where official authorities do not issue any identity cards. When identification is needed, e.g. passports, identity cards issued by banks etc., or cards that are not mainly identity cards like driver's licenses can be used. Most countries that are not listed at all in this page have no national ID card.