By Etienne Chevreau, Member of the SIA Document Security Working Group.
In an era where digital identity is rapidly evolving, one might wonder if physical documents still hold relevance. With passports, national IDs, and other credentials increasingly available in digital formats, it may seem like we are moving towards a fully digital future. However, the reality is far more nuanced. Physical documents continue to be essential, not only as a root of trust for digital IDs but also as a reliable and universally accessible form of identity.
The Strength of Physical Documents
For centuries, physical documents have served as the backbone of identity verification. Their enduring value stems from several key characteristics:
- They are centered on the person – We hold, manage, and control them without relying on external digital systems.
- They are accessible – Anyone, anywhere, can issue, receive, and use them, regardless of technological infrastructure.
- They are varied – From passports to driver’s licenses, they come in diverse formats to serve different needs.
- They work across contexts – A single document can be used for travel, banking, healthcare, and more.
- They are private – Unlike digital identities that may leave traces if poorly implemented, physical documents do not inherently track users.
- They can be combined for greater trust – Multiple documents can be used together to provide stronger identity verification.
These attributes have made physical documents the most trusted and widely used form of identification worldwide. But as digital identity systems advance, the question arises: will they be replaced by digital credentials?
The Digital Shift: A Complementary Evolution
Digital IDs are undoubtedly transforming identity management. Governments worldwide are introducing digital identity systems to streamline processes and improve accessibility. The European Union, for example, has launched the EU Digital ID Wallet, which will allow seamless credential verification across member states. Digital passports (DTCs) are making travel more efficient by enabling pre-arrival passenger verification, simplifying border checks.
Moreover, digital IDs are increasingly used in critical areas such as healthcare, social security, taxation, banking and government services. They improve administrative efficiency, reduce paperwork, and enable millions to access state and private sector services for the first time.
Despite these advancements, digital IDs are not replacing physical documents. Instead, they very often rely on them.
Why Physical Documents Remain Essential
A Root of Trust for Digital ID
Physical documents are the foundation of many secure digital identity systems. Governments and institutions validate these documents before issuing digital versions, ensuring that the digital ID is trustworthy. Many digital ID systems use NFC-based authentication, where a digital wallet reads the secure chip of a physical ID card and proceeds to face recognition to verify the user’s identity. This ensures multi-factor authentication using both “something you have” (the physical document) and “something you are” (biometric data).
Maintaining Sovereignty and Security
Governments have long controlled the issuance and management of physical IDs, ensuring national sovereignty over identity systems. Digital identity introduces new complexities, involving more stakeholders, regulations, and technological risks. While digital identity offers convenience, governments must carefully navigate these complexities while maintaining sovereignty. Thus, physical documents remain a trusted fallback for resilience and control.
Enhanced Security Through Dual Verification
Combining physical and digital identity provides higher security levels. While digital IDs enable quick online authentication, some high-assurance transactions—such as online voting or banking updates—may require verification using a physical document. This approach aligns with regulations like eIDAS (Electronic Identification, Authentication, and Trust Services), which mandates a Level of Assurance (LoA) High for sensitive use cases.
Ensuring Universal Access
Not everyone is ready or willing to adopt digital identity. Many citizens prefer physical documents for their tangible reliability, and access to digital platforms is still not universal. With over one-third of the global population lacking consistent internet access, physical documents remain critical for ensuring inclusivity. A case in point is Estonia, one of the most digitally advanced countries. Despite offering digital IDs, a survey found that many citizens still wanted physical ID cards, reinforcing that digital and physical identity can coexist and complement one another.
Improved Citizen Experience
By integrating digital and physical identity, governments can enhance service delivery. For example:
- Citizens could receive a digital ID immediately upon application, while the physical ID is being produced.
- Renewals and updates could be streamlined—when a physical ID expires, the digital ID could facilitate renewal application
- Lost or stolen IDs would be easier to recover, as the remaining document (physical or digital) could serve as a backup.
Such a hybrid system ensures greater resilience and a seamless citizen experience.
A Future of Coexistence
The development of physical and digital identity systems is not about replacing one with the other. Instead, it is about leveraging their strengths in harmony. Digital identity is expanding access and convenience, while physical documents continue to provide a secure, sovereign and universally accessible source of trust.
At the Secure Identity Alliance, we believe that physical and digital IDs will co-exist for years to come, with increasing collaboration between the two.
The future is not about choosing between them but about ensuring they work together to provide a trusted, secure, and inclusive identity infrastructure for all.