The France Identity application is now available on iPhone and Android. It just arrived in the Apple and Google app stores. Developed by the French government, it allows you to dematerialize your identity document. The goal is to be able to prove your identity online.
But to use it, two conditions must be met. You must be of legal age and have the new identity document. Distributed since August 2021, the new format of the official document includes a chip and a QR code. These additions should be used to prevent any identity theft, especially on the Internet.
It is in this context where France Identity comes into play: in testing since April 2022, the application will be able to authenticate a person while browsing the web. Your resource must, in particular, authorize a person to connect to public or private services.
NFC data transfer
Only three steps are required to transfer your ID information to the France Identity application. First, you need to scan the card with your phone. If you do not want to allow the application to access your camera, it is possible to simply enter the six numbers located at the bottom right of the card, next to your signature.
Then simply read the chip on your card. This step requires that you have a phone equipped with the NFC reading function. This technology is the same as that used for mobile payment or to use certain public transport.
Near Field Communication (NFC) features have also caused difficulties for France Identity developers. On iPhone, erratic behavior of the feature was observed at the beginning of the year, especially in the most recent models. This caused a delay of several months in the launch of the application.
However, France Identity acknowledges on Twitter (renamed X) that the problem is not completely resolved. “On some recent iPhones, wireless ID card reading (NFC) may require several attempts,” the app notes.
Once card information is linked to the app, users only need to create a personal six-digit code to further secure access to their information. At the moment, France Identity allows you to create single-use identity documents or connect through FranceConnect.
Source: BFM TV
