The microchip of the Electronic Identity Card securely stores the holder’s personal and biometric data: the photo, the fingerprints and the information that allows online identification.
The presence of fingerprints is important to determine unequivocally the identity of the holder of the document, this makes the CIE a safe tool and protected from any attempt of forgery or identity theft.
Fingerprinting is provided for each citizen of 12 years of age or older.
Unlike the other data on the microchip, the fingerprints are accessible only to the Control Authorities having specific authorizations. It is not possible to read fingerprints either through a computer connected to a smartcard reader or through a smartphone.
Fingerprints, securely stored in the CIE and not stored in other databases, do not represent a filing system, but a form of protection of the physical and digital identity of the citizen, with the aim of countering the risk of person substitution and identity theft.