CHECK-AT

No, the physical ID card serves as proof of personal identity and Austrian citizenship. The digital CHECK-AT app makes it easy to check the new Austrian ID card. The app gives citizens a straightforward way to improve document verification.

The app requires permissions for the camera and the Internet.

Please check the FAQ section to see if there is an answer to your question. If you still have any further questions, please contact the info address bmi-III-A-5-a@bmi.gv.at.

The ID card serves as proof of identity and nationality. Austrian citizenship is a prerequisite for the issuance of an Austrian ID card. In Austria, the ID card, among other things, is considered to be an official photo ID. A travel document must be carried every time you cross the border, even when travelling to the EU or Schengen states. This also applies to short-term journeys abroad. When travelling within the EU or within the Schengen area respectively, a travel document not only comes in the form of a passport, but also a valid ID card. Further information can be found at oesterreich.gv.at

The following data is stored on the chip of the ID card: It contains the same data (except for the signature and the size of the ID card holder) that is also visible on the ID card itself. In addition, from the age of 12, the fingerprint images of two fingers are also stored on the chip. In the new generation of Austrian ID cards, this sensitive data is securely stored on the chip and protected against unauthorised access. In this way, the ID card is even more clearly assigned to its owner and offers strong protection against identity theft and forgery.

The QR code is an additional security feature on the new ID card. The QR code, like the other security features, serves to make Austrian identity documents even more secure. The QR code can be securely read and checked using the specially developed, free CHECK-AT app.

On start-up, the app downloads the current certificates for the cryptographic check and the instructions for the manual check (check steps). Nothing is retrieved during a scan.

In addition to the personal data listed above, the QR code also contains digital security information: a signature, a random number and a signature ID. The signature corresponds to the cryptographic signature value of the QR code data. The random number is used to reinforce the long-term security of the QR code. The signature ID serves as a reference for the CHECK-AT app to select the appropriate certificate to verify the digital signature of the QR code.

No, a QR code can, in principle, be read with any QR code scanner. However, the content is not displayed correctly when read with other QR code scanners.

No. The app can be used without registration. It can be downloaded free of charge from the official App Store for iOS or the official Play Store for Android. To prevent the distribution of scams and illegal duplicates of the app, it can only be downloaded from these two official stores.

No. The digital CHECK-AT app is a tool for checking the new ID card. The CHECK-AT app is not a digital ID card.

The CHECK-AT app is compatible with Android version 8.0 (or newer) and iOS version 15 (or newer). The CHECK-AT website (https://check-at.gv.at/) can be used on PCs or laptops via common browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari or Microsoft Edge. For mobile devices, Google Chrome (Android) and Apple Safari (iOS) are supported. In order to ensure its proper display, it is recommended that you use the latest version of the browser you are using.

The new security features include the chip with biometric data, the significantly enlarged image on the front, a see-through window in the ID card and the new QR code on the reverse of the ID card. In addition thereto, a multitude of other security features secure the ID card and thus the identity of citizens.

The new security features now protect the ID card on several levels. Classic security features such as elaborate UV printing, laser tilt images or a see-through window containing an area with temperature-reactive ink already ensure a high level of security. In addition to these features, the new ID card is protected with a QR code and a chip on a digital level. This bundle of security measures provides the highest level of protection against tampering and counterfeiting.

The personal data is stored directly in the QR code. After scanning the QR code, the content of the code is displayed by the CHECK-AT app. There is no retrieval from an official register, as all data is contained directly in the QR code. As a security measure, special certificates are required to verify the signature, which the CHECK-AT app automatically downloads onto the user’s own device. The verification of this signature and all necessary calculations are done on the device itself.

Photograph, name, gender, citizenship, date of birth, issuing state, type of document, ID card number and the period of validity. When the app is started, certificates and test steps are checked for topicality and re-downloaded if necessary. In the course thereof, the IP address and the user agent (name and version of the app) are also logged. No cookies, no sessions and no market research data are collected.

When the QR code is scanned, the data depicted in the QR code is only displayed on the verifying device, but is not forwarded via the app at any time. The CHECK-AT app does not offer any technical possibility to forward the data to other programmes, devices or persons. The app does not offer the possibility to save the data on the verifying device.

The CHECK-AT app can be downloaded for free from the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android). Please note, that the CHECK-AT app is not listed in the Huawei AppGallery.

No, scanning is only done on the verifying device. There is no retrieval from an official register, as all data is contained directly in the QR code. Therefore, there is no check to see if it concerns a document that has been reported as stolen or lost.