The A to Z of ID cards

V is for Verification

In February 2009 it was revealed there was no way of reading ID cards, despite tens of thousands of cards being made available to foreign nationals since November 2008.

silicon.com revealed the fact that no police stations, border entry points or job centres have readers that can access the card's biometric chip.

The cards themselves carry biographical data, as well as facial and fingerprint scans. While some details about the holder, as well as their photo is printed on the face of the card, the cardholder's fingerprints can only be accessed by reading the chip.

The IPS recently confirmed that no readers are likely to be in place in the UK until next year, when they are introduced at UK borders.

The IPS claims there are a number of unique features that help detect forgeries, such as an engraved pattern on the back and a distinctive sound when flicked.

The identity verification service will provide a way for accredited organisations to check an individual's identity. It could be used by groups such as government agencies, banks and rental companies - any organisation that wants to check you are who you claim to be.

Organisations will be able to choose the verification method most suitable for the transaction. For higher level transactions companies will be able to check biometrics or other information by phone or online.

All organisations that want to use the identity verification service will need to be accredited and they will need the cardholder's consent before they use the service to check the cardholder's identity. There will be a charge for organisations that want to use the service - and there will also be the additional cost of installing ID card readers.