To complete the identification process, you will need your German identity card (check card format), an electronic residence permit, or your EU citizen card and the corresponding secret PIN. The online ID function must be activated on the ID card you use.

The transport PIN is a five-digit PIN. You will receive this by post after applying for a new identity card, residence permit, or eID card. It is a five-digit number that you must change to a six-digit PIN of your choice before using the online ID function for the first time. You can do this in the ID card app under “Change my (transport) PIN.”

The six-digit PIN is a sequence of numbers that you assign yourself and that protects your data from misuse. This is because you have to enter the six-digit PIN every time you want to identify yourself digitally with your ID card.

The German ID card in credit card format has been issued since November 1, 2010. If you have already assigned a PIN at the citizens' office or received a PIN letter by mail, your ID card is ready for online use.

If this is not the case, please contact your local authority to activate the online ID function free of charge.

For successful identification you need your six-digit PIN. If you have forgotten your PIN, please contact your local authority. There you can set a new PIN.

NFC stands for Near Field Communication and is an international transmission standard for wireless data exchange over short distances. The identity card and the electronic residence permit contain an NFC chip on which your data is stored. Your NFC-enabled device acts as a reader and transmits the data via an encrypted channel to a competent verification authority. On most devices, the NFC interface is located on the back in the middle to upper area.

First, make sure that NFC is enabled on your device and remove any protective cover. On most devices, the NFC interface is located on the back in the middle (Android devices) or upper part (iOS devices). First, try holding the ID document upright against the back of your device so that the ID and smartphone are touching, and make sure that the ID is held completely still. If the device does not respond, try holding the ID document flat against the back. If there is no response after a few seconds, briefly remove the ID document from the back of the device and hold the card against it again. To find the optimal position for reading the ID card, try different positions in small steps.

If the device still does not respond, please refer to your user manual to find out exactly where the NFC interface is located.

After you have installed the IDnow Online-Ident app and started the process, identification takes place via video chat between you and an employee of S-Markt & Mehrwert GmbH & Co. KG. The conversation lasts around five to eight minutes. During the video connection, the employee asks you to hold your ID document up to the camera and tilt it to see data and security features. Your conversation partner checks the data and saves photos. The entire video chat is recorded (audio and visual). Finally, you will receive an identification code via SMS on your mobile phone.

For identification via Video-Ident you only need:

• a valid identification document
• a smartphone or tablet with the IDnow online identification app installed
• Mobile phone for receiving an SMS
  

To use Video-Ident you need a valid ID card or passport issued in your name. A variety of modern identification documents are supported.

You can use Video-Ident during the following service times:

Mon-Fri: 8:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m
Sat/Sun/Holidays: 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m

For the technical implementation of video identification, S-Markt & Mehrwert GmbH & Co. KG cooperates with the IT system provider IDnow GmbH, Auenstraße 100, 80469 Munich. IDnow relies on the highest technical security standards. S-Markt & Mehrwert GmbH & Co. KG only uses employees who have been specially trained in accordance with legal requirements for identification.
All data is encrypted multiple times and always transmitted securely. Storage takes place exclusively in highly secure bank data centers within Germany.