A document of identification is in the broader sense a private or official document, which represents and with statements of a competent authority connects the identity of the owner if necessary in writing and with the requirement of the commitment, according to which determined legal characteristics (as for instance the nationality) or otherwise authorizations, capabilities or other circumstances bound to the person of the owner are present.

Examples of different functions of documents of identification

With a document of identification can about

• the membership in a community to be proven (in such a way for example an identity card or a passport marks a citizen, a student can by means of student document of identification as such be characterised),
• the authorization to be proven to make a certain action lead for example a motor vehicle - driving licence -,
• a certain (master) customer in a business with a certain customer number in connection to be brought - customer document of identification -,
• the practice of a certain occupation or a certain position to be proven - for instance with the navigation book or with the diplomat passport -,
• the authorization for the practice of sovereign powers to be proven - id card -,
• an admission permission for certain ranges to be proven

etc.

In some cases the word document of identification is used also for documents, which do not contain personal data (example: simple ticket for public means of transport).

Contents of the document of identification

The document of identification contains usually personal data such as name, first name, date of birth, address etc. dependent on their intended purpose can documents of identification besides a photo or other biometric characteristics as well as an illustration the signature of the owner exhibit.

One differentiates between official photo documents of identification and other documents of identification.

In case of of id cards one finds also still another office designation, the agency as well as an official seal on the document of identification.

Identification in Germany

In Germany each German, that must 16 in accordance with "§ 1 identity card law (PersAuswG). Lebensjahr completed, a valid identity card to possess, if he does not possess a valid passport. The document of identification does not have to be carried however in Germany.

Usefulness

Since several kinds of documents of identification can serve the same purpose, for instance, they are often regarded to the proof of the identity or a group affiliation for these purposes as equivalent. In the everyday life the following documents of identification are most frequently used:

• Identity card,
• Passport and
• Social security document of identification.

While the identity card and the passport are regarded thereby for identification and - for instance with border controls - for the proof of the nationality frequently as equivalent, for example the nationality cannot with the driving licence and only the identity causes, with the identity card however not the driving licence to be proven. Besides is to be considered, in which intensity and by which place the correctness of contents of the document of identification is in detail examined. Authorities, which issue driving licences, possess for example a special competence for statement whether someone possesses a driving licence, while it is not their major task to determine and certify identities. From this also restrictions result in the case of the usefulness: So a border control can be passed with a driving licence neither, nor it will be sufficient for for example for the prescribed identification with the opening of bank accounts, while an identity card will be with a traffic control of the police for a driver from only limited value.

Other documents of identification are for certain occupational groups in the vocational everyday life of constant importance, about that

• Presseausweis or that
• Police id card.

Some documents of identification serve also as proof a permission or an authorization, e.g.

• Traffic
  • Lead from vessels
    • Sport boat driving licence, sport-coastal ship-appear, sport-sea-going vessel-appear, sport-high-sea-going vessel-appear
  • Lead from motor vehicles
    • Driving licence as proof of a driving licence
  • Lead from aircraft
    • Pilot light
  • Park/passage permission
• Radio
  • Radio operating certifications

Other kinds of document of identification have meaning only in completely determined situations and only opposite certain control persons or persons employed of the spending place are used. Examples are that

• Obstruction park document of identification,
• Donation of blood document of identification,
• Membership card,
• Work/firm document of identification etc.

See also

• Passport (document)
• Passport replacement
• Document of identification falsification
• Person control

Literature

• Valentin Groebner: The light of the person. Warrant of apprehension, document of identification and control in the Middle Ages. Munich: C.H. Beck 2004. ISBN 3-406-52238-6

Related links

• Identity card law
• Info. portal of the interest circle biometric documents of identification
• Devices for the production of documents of identification and/or for printing on plastic maps

Other meanings

• In financing document of identification is also a statement of number works, e.g. bank statement or value added tax document of identification.
• Generally languageused one speaks also of a "proven expert/specialist", if a person showed a outstanding qualification. A further meaning is the characterisation "someone by special energy proved itself", if a person energy showed or "his work is a great document of identification of its if a work illustrates a being able of the author.

Articles in category "Document of identification"

We found here 53 articles.