Bulgaria’s Parliament has adopted on second and final reading the Electronic Identification Bill which enables individuals to identify themselves through digital records and receive electronic services in sectors of state governance such as finance, health care, and social activities.

The electronic identifier will differentiate one person from another in the virtual environment in order to provide access to information systems, the MPs decided.

Bulgarian citizens and foreign nationals aged 14+ and having a Bulgarian-issued ID card with a national identification number will be entitled to obtaining a digital identification certificate.

The digital identification certificates will be issued by the Minister of the Interior on the basis of an application submitted in writing by individuals. An application can also be submitted through a registered digital identification administrator or a Bulgarian diplomatic mission.

The electronic identification certificate will be issued for a maximum term of five years.

The Electronic Identification Bill will enter into force six months after its publication in the State Gazette.