ID Austria
ID Austria is Austria's government electronic proof of identity, with which people can identify online and create qualified electronic signatures.
ID Austria has replaced the former mobile phone signature. People register once with a photo ID and then use an app or a security key to identify themselves to authorities and companies. With the full function, documents can be signed with a qualified electronic signature; under the Signature and Trust Services Act, such a signature generally meets the requirement of written form.
For agents in Austria, ID Austria is the natural proof of the principal's origin, and the EUDI wallet adds a uniform European format.
Example
A Viennese business owner grants his agent for dealings with authorities a mandate and confirms its issuance with ID Austria. When the agent later submits a notification, the authority sees that the mandate comes from an identified person.
How it differs
ID Austria proves a person's identity, a mandate the authority of their agent. The Swiss e-ID and the EUDI wallet play the same role in Switzerland and the EU.
In practice
- Use ID Austria to bind the issuance of mandates to an identified person.
- For written form, require a qualified electronic signature, not just a sign-in.
- Plan for the transition to the EUDI wallet, which will complement ID Austria.
Role in KYA
KYA verifies mandates in the SD-JWT VC format. A profile for government identities such as ID Austria as proof of the principal's origin is planned.
Related check: Agent and principal (subject_agent_binding). Do all parts name the same agent, is the principal named, does the agent hold the bound key?
Frequently asked questions
What is ID Austria?
Austria's government electronic proof of identity, successor to the mobile phone signature, with which people can identify online and create qualified signatures.
Can you sign legally binding documents with ID Austria?
Yes, with the full function. Under the Signature and Trust Services Act, a qualified electronic signature generally meets the requirement of written form.
What does ID Austria have to do with AI agents?
It can prove who an agent's principal is. Together with a mandate, it forms evidence of identity and authority.
Does KYA support ID Austria?
Not yet as a dedicated profile. KYA verifies mandates in the SD-JWT VC format; a profile for government identities as proof of origin is planned.
How does ID Austria relate to the EUDI wallet?
The EUDI wallet complements government identities such as ID Austria with further credentials and a uniform European format. How the systems are connected is decided by Austria within the framework of eIDAS 2.0.