The 500,000th ID card has been produced and delivered by Berlin-based Bundesdruckerei GmbH just six weeks after the new ID card was introduced in Germany. This means that half a million German citizens now have one of the world's most advanced and efficient ID documents.

The company managed to double the number of new ID cards produced over the past two weeks. After completion of the initial phase of introduction, all the parties involved, i. e. the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Bundesdruckerei, ID card authorities and process developers, have now successfully reached the next phase of this very complex and demanding project.

German citizens have been able to apply for the new ID card since Nov. 1, 2010.