Maltese identity card

The Maltese identity card is issued to Maltese citizens. It can be used as a travel document when visiting countries in Europe (except for Belarus, Kosovo, Russia and Ukraine).

It can also be used instead of a Maltese passport to visit French overseas territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland (de facto), Georgia, Turkey and on organized tours to Jordan (through Aqaba airport)

See also

Identity document

An identity document (also called a piece of identification or ID, or colloquially as papers) is any document which may be used to identify a person or verify aspects of a person's personal identity. If issued in a small, standard credit card size form, it is usually called an identity card (IC or ID card). Some countries issue formal identity documents, while others may require identity verification using informal documents. When the identity document incorporates a person's photograph, it may be called photo ID.

In the absence of a formal identity document, a driver's license may be accepted in many countries for identity verification. Some countries do not accept driver's licenses for identification, often because in those countries they do not expire as documents and can be old or easily forged. Most countries accept passports as a form of identification.

Some countries require foreigners to have a passport or occasionally a national identity card from their country available at any time if they do not have a residence permit in the country.

Czech national identity card

The Czech national identity card (Czech: Občanský průkaz, literally civic certificate; Czech pronunciation: [ˈoptʃanskiː ˈpɾuːkas]) is the identity document used in the Czech Republic (and formerly in Czechoslovakia), in addition to the Czech passport. It is issued to all citizens above 15 years of age, and every such person permanently living in the Czech Republic is required by law to hold a valid identity card.

It is possible to use the ID card for travel within Europe (except Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey) as well as Georgia instead of a passport.

History

The first mandatory identity document was introduced during the German occupation, on 17 March 1939 in a decree made by Reichsprotektor Konstantin von Neurath. This document was based on the model of a similar document already in use in the Third Reich and included a photograph. Known as a legitimace, it was often nicknamed kennkarta.

During the communist regime (1948–89) this simple card developed into a booklet dozens of pages long. It contained such personal details as employment history and vaccination records.

Belgian national identity card

All Belgians aged 12 and above are issued with an identity card (Dutch: Identiteitskaart, French: Carte d’identité, German: Personalausweis). Belgians aged 15 and above are required to always carry it with them unless they are within 200 m from their homes. (Foreigners must at all times be able to provide identification, either a passport, or an identity document issued by another EU member state.) Holders who are Belgian citizens are also entitled to use the card for international travel within Europe (except to Belarus, Russia and Ukraine) as well as to Egypt, French overseas territories, the Gambia,Georgia, Turkey and on organized tours to Jordan (through Aqaba airport) and Tunisia in lieu of a Belgian passport.

Use within Belgium

Belgians are required to carry the identity card and to show their identity cards when requested by:

Physical appearance

All fields on the card are bilingual (English in combination with either Dutch, French or German) and the heading "Belgium / Identity card" in all four languages. The used language (and the one used first in the heading) depends on the official language of the place of residence (per the Belgian language areas), unless the residence is a Brussels municipality, in which case the holder may choose between French or Dutch, or a municipality with language facilities, in which case the holder may choose between French or Dutch, or French or German, depending on the local language facilities.