Bundesdruckerei GmbH, manufacturer and supplier of the new German ID card, gives a positive first summary four weeks after the introduction of the new ID document: against the background of strong demand, the company produced more than 250,000 of the new credit-card-size ID documents and delivered them to public authorities all over the country.

Delays which are inevitable with projects as complex as this could be kept within reasonable limits. Only in very few cases, delivery of the ID cards applied for took longer than planned. The initial introduction phase was hence successfully concluded.

Since Nov. 1, 2010, citizens can apply for the new ID card. It features a new design compared to its predecessor. The document additionally features two optional applications, i.e., the online ID function and the qualified electronic signature (QES).

Internationally, the new German ID card is considered to be the most advanced and secure ID document. The pertinent IT infrastructure also meets the most demanding requirements. In order to manufacture the ID card, Bundesdruckerei has created additional capacity, including a completely new production line. The technology used there was developed specifically for the production of the new document.

Due to the successive ramp up of production, individual citizens may have to wait a little bit longer than usual.