Former Estonian President Arnold Rüütel with his wife Ingrid
January 2017 marked the 15th anniversary of the first ID card issued in Estonia. The electronic ID card is an important foundation of Estonia’s information society that enables secure implementation of e-solutions. Using the ID card to sign documents digitally saves an individual in Estonia at least five business days each year. Electronic ID has enabled Estonia to transform itself into one of the most developed information societies in the world. Most European Union’s digital signatures are given in Estonia.
The first recipients of the Estonian ID card was President Rüütel and his wife Ingrid in 2002.
