Ministry is preparing for a mobile revolution

The Ministry of Digital Affairs held a press conference to present its new plans concerning the future of Polish identity cards and other official documents. As the world is becoming more and more mobile, so are public institutions. Soon, Poles will be able to leave many of their personal documents at home and use their phones instead.

“MDocuments” (mobile documents) is the name of a programme of digitalising documents and enabling mobile access to them. The aim is to allow ordinary citizens to use electronic versions of several types of official documents, including personal IDs and driving licences.

Instead of carrying documents everywhere, all a person will need is their phone. The sensitive information will be stored on external servers, not on the mobile device itself. The phone will be needed only to grant access to information in certain situations.

For example, after being pulled over, instead of reaching to his pocket, Mr Kowalski will give a police officer his or her phone number or personal identity number (PESEL). A code enabling access to the driver’s driving licence will be generated and sent to the phone. The phone holder will give the code to the police and in this way grant access to the document.

This sounds complicated, but Ministry officials are certain this will make people’s lives easier and cut down the costs of administration linked to issuing and handling traditional documents. They assure the system will be safe and easy to use. It will not require cutting-edge mobile devices, an old mobile phone that receives text messages will do.

Some may be concerned that electronic access to documents will mean the state will have greater power when it comes to tracking personal information and more room for invigilation, but the officials are denying that.

Mobile documents will be available to everyone, but using them will not be mandatory. Paper and plastic documents will remain valid and will keep being issued. There will be also plan B for cases of dying battery and lost signal. The system will only be used in the territory of Poland.

The first document with its mobile version will be Polish identity card. Other documents that are to be included in the system are driving licence, car registration card and mandatory car insurance, i.e. the documents that citizens use most often.

Minister Anna Streżyńska and Chief Technology Officer Arkadiusz Szczebiot want the programme to be fully launched by the end of 2017. Currently, it is is in the prototype phase.