The government, banks, merchants and municipalities have been working for years to dematerialize the countless cards that take up too much space in our wallets. So today it is entirely possible to leave the house with a simple smartphone that allows you to prove your identity and access many services. We now give you a brief summary of all maps accessible from mobile. Eventually, other documents will also be able to be transferred to mobile devices, with the European Commission aiming to create a real document. European digital identity wallet.
How can you dematerialize your cards?
In most cases, having one piece of equipment is sufficient. Android smartphone or iPhone compatible with NFC technology (almost all models marketed recently) to be able to dematerialize various cards. As for the official documentation, you need to use the France Idêtes app, available from version 8 (Oreo) on Android and iOS 16 on iPhone. France Idêtes is only valid for adults and holders of new ID cards issued since 2021. bank card format.
Why should you dematerialize your cards?
The purposes of dematerializing cards are multiple. The most obvious of these is that it is more practical to store all your data on a smartphone rather than constantly carrying all your documents. This system also makes it possible to limit the theft or loss of physical cards.
Dematerialization of identity documents saves time during police checks or verification by a private organization (e.g. car rental). It also allows you to perform certain procedures and fight fraud without revealing all your data.
1. Driving license
Regardless of its format (three-panel pink or debit card), you can integrate your driving license into the France Idété app. Digital driver’s license valid during road control carried out on national territory. It will also soon be possible to integrate driving license data into proof of right to drive to facilitate online procedures and car rental.
To present your driver’s license, simply open your France ID application and select the option. “Show your driver’s license”. The user is then informed about the data to be transferred and must give consent to continue. Information transfer is carried out by NFC by placing your phone over your interlocutor’s phone; This person can then check the data transmitted to him/her.
To transfer your driving license to France Identity you need to:
- Install the France ID app on your smartphone if you haven’t already
- Go to web platform “My points were allowed” from another screen and log in to your account
- Download your Restricted Information Notice (RIR) in the “My Documents” tab
- Scan the QR Code of your RIR from the France Identity app on your mobile phone
- Follow the instructions to complete the transfer of your digital driver’s license to France Identity
2. Identity card
It is possible to prove your identity by transferring your ID card to France Connect. This step is also necessary to be able to perform operations in the application and benefit from additional functionalities. Please note that only new generation ID cards in debit card and chip format are compatible with France Connect. If you still have an old version, you will need to refresh it to get the latest version.
A digital ID card allows you to verify your identity online but can also be presented to a real person for verification. However, if the order is valid before its representatives, few services currently accept this, lack of equipment. For example, SNCF needs to provide equipment to controllers; Therefore, you need to carry your physical ID card with you when boarding the train. It will be possible to vote by proxy in nearly fifty municipalities in the European elections to be held in June 2024. The system will be expanded for the 2026 municipal elections.
After the manipulation is carried out, you will be able to perform various transactions over the internet and create a disposable ID document. One of the benefits of a digital ID card is that it only displays the information needed in a given situation. Proving your age to benefit from the discount does not require you to share all your identity data, for example.
To transfer your National Identity Card (CNI) to France ID, follow these steps:
- Install the France ID app on your smartphone if you haven’t already
- Tap Sign Up or Sign In
- Accept the terms of service and authorize the app to access your camera
- Scan your ID card by following the on-screen instructions
- Start contactless reading your CNI to communicate with the document’s NFC chip
- Follow the France Connect authentication procedure, enter an email address and choose your 6-digit personal code
- Your digital CNI is ready to use and you have access to all functions of France Identity
3. Insurance certificate
Since April 1, 2024, green car insurance stickers on windshields are no longer mandatory. Being insured is of course necessary, but physical proof that you are insured has become optional. Here again, you can find the digital version of this document in the France Identity app. By handing your smartphone to the police, officers access your insurance data stored in the Insured Vehicle File (FVA), which includes the insurer’s name, vehicle registration, insurance contract number and validity period.
4. Vitale card (under testing)
Currently in the testing phase, the digital Vitale card is only available in eight departments: Alpes-Maritimes, Bas-Rhin, Loire-Atlantique, Puy-de-Dôme, Rhône, Saône-et-Loire, Sarthe and Seine-Maritime. If the experiment proves conclusive, it should soon be generalized to the rest of the region. This is not currently part of the France Connect ecosystem and is special application to enjoy.
The Vitale card application should facilitate relationships between healthcare professionals and policyholders. It can be offered to doctors as well as pharmacists, but keep in mind that not everyone is equipped to handle it. It can work with NFC technology as well as a simple QR code to be scanned.
One advantage of this app is that it allows you to download your file. medical expense receipts and makes monitoring easier. Health Insurance announced that it is working on the development of two new features:
- Delegate the use of the Vitale card to a person you trust for a certain period of time (for example, for grandparents caring for children)
- Securely log in to other digital health services
To get your Vitale card from your smartphone you need to:
- Install the Vitale card application on your device
- Accept the general terms of use
- Scan your Vitale card or manually enter it to read the social security number
- Scan your ID or enter information manually
- Wait for approval from the Health Insurance to activate your digital Vitale card
5. Bank card
The debit card stored on the smartphone, already adopted by many French people, is very practical for daily contactless payments with your smartphone instead of a debit card or credit card. Unlike a bank card, it is possible to make contactless payments over 50 euros via mobile device without having to enter your secret code. In 2024, the majority of sellers accept this payment method.
To use mobile contactless payment, your bank must be compatible with one of the dedicated applications on the market: Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, Paylib… Your smartphone must also be equipped with an NFC chip. You also have the freedom to configure payment with a compatible, connected watch so you don’t have to take your smartphone out of your pocket or bag.
The procedure for paying with your smartphone varies depending on the service used. Find the option to add your card to the mobile payment tool of your choice from your bank’s mobile application or website, select the payment platform you are interested in and follow the instructions. Here’s an example with Google Wallet:
- Open the Google Wallet app and tap “Add to Wallet” at the bottom of the screen
- Tap Payment card, then tap New credit or debit card.
- Use your camera or enter information manually to add a card.
- Tap Save and continue at the bottom of the screen.
- Read the terms of service and then tap Accept.
- If you’re asked to verify your payment method, choose an option from the list: phone, SMS, email, your bank’s app or website, temporary transfer, etc.
6. Transportation tickets
If contactless payment by smartphone for single-trip transport tickets has become widely available in French cities, the handling of subscriptions by transport networks is another matter. Support for such a proposal varies by city. In Paris, the smartphone may replace the famous Navigo Pass Île-de-France Mobilités app To verify input and output. The app also allows you to purchase tickets or reload a subscription.
Otherwise, you can also save your transportation tickets in QR Code format to scan them. For train use, the SNCF Connect app allows you to view your transport ticket. Airlines with a dedicated app can normally also generate a QR Code to scan your ticket. Another option is to download the code and save it in the Wallet app you usually use.
7. Restaurant tickets
First we knew checks, then cards, now restaurant tickets are now dematerialized. You may encounter two possibilities here. You can access your restaurant tickets directly from the dedicated app of the platform your company uses: Edenred, Sodexo, Bimpli, etc. For added convenience, you can also transfer your restaurant ticket card to your usual contactless payment app.
8. Loyalty cards
You can also store dozens of your loyalty cards on your smartphone. There are wallet apps specific to loyalty cards, but you can also save them to services like Google Wallet. You instantly receive the barcode of your loyalty card on your smartphone screen, which the merchant can then scan.
9. Discount Coupons
Classic wallet apps offer to store certain discount coupons or gift cards. There are also numerous apps that specialize in discount coupons that you can scan at checkout: Shopmium, Coupon Network, Quoty, etc.
10. Registration certificate (coming soon)
The government has talked about the upcoming dematerialization of the registration document through the France Idété platform. If the program is followed, the first tests should start by the end of 2024.
