Sri Lanka plans to extend an eID scheme into a full-fledged digital ID scheme, according to government media reports.A report in GovInsider states that Columbo wants each citizen to be given a digital identity, with the ability to transact and sign documents digitally.Muhunthan Canagey, CEO of the country's ICT Agency, told the magazine that every citizen will get a smart card which will their identity information, which can also be used for payments and digital signing.They will be able to register online for social welfare and receive the payments directly to digital wallets. "That way the government also knows that the funds are being transferred and the ultimate beneficiary receives it," he said.Last October, Senior Sri Lankan officials confirmed that new National Identity Cards will be issued to all before the end of 2017.A proposal made by Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs Minister S.B. Navinna to plan and implement the programme with regard to the issue of an Electronic National Identity Card in two years has been approved by the cabinet.The process towards the establishment of the National Register of Persons and to issue an Electronic National Identity Card, with the authority vested in the Department of Registration of Persons by the Registration of Persons Act No 32 of 1968, had been delayed due to various technical reasons.Last September, The Sri Lankan Department of Registration of Persons started its collection of fingerprints this year in a bid to issue 16.5 million electronic identity cards (eNICs) in 2016. However, a growing phobia surrounding the use of fingerprints has led to the government attempting to quell concerns.The new ID, comprising security features against tampering, counterfeiting and forgery, will include the person's photograph, bio data, fingerprints, and also blood group. It will also conform to relevant international standards, such as those from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Recent Articles
- Digital ID wallets: How banks are leading the next frontier in secure, AI-driven financial services
- Security printing and identity community to tackle rising document fraud threats
- Identity and payments converge at the 2026 Identity & Payments Summit
- C-Suite leaders take the stage at Identity Week Europe 2026
- Europe’s new biometric border system to enhance entry controls from April 2026
Recent Video
- Will asylum seekers adopt government Digital ID? Netherlands demonstrate a real-world pilot
- Filippo Chiricozzi on Web3, digital ID and the future of finance
- Stephen Chapman praises UK passport system, calls for international standards to support national systems
- Michelle Wilson on building Blue Cavalry Solutions and advancing interoperable digital ID
- “We are looking at how to make biometrics quicker”: Hannes Lember discusses Estonia’s contactless biometric pilot and border innovation
