– I feel sorry for those in the banks who work with this thing!
The sigh of relief comes from Martin Hagen Aakre. He is a master’s student and was born in Egersund.
He experienced the bureaucracy and the difficulty of obtaining an electronic ID (eID) when his partner from the Czech Republic came to Norway.
It took a full three years to be approved for BankID.
The key to everything
Electronic identification is the key in a digitized society. BankID is the most widespread. Together with two other private providers, they are considered the most secure.
At the same time, this key is difficult to obtain, because the banks lack a coordinated set of regulations and, in addition, have to deal with two different laws.
The Norwegian Tax Agency writes on its website:
“You can choose between different options for electronic ID when logging in to public services: MinID, BankID, BankID app, BankID on mobile, Buypass ID or Commfides”
Only the MinID is issued by the state.
The rest are covered by banks and other private companies.
It is only those private who have a “high security level”, the highest level of identification in the country.
– The answer varies from bank to bank
Aakre’s partner has a passport from the Czech Republic. She had no problems with coming to Norway, getting a work permit, starting a company and getting so-called D number.
This is completely acceptable with a birth and social security number, except with certain banks.
– The answer varies from bank to bank. I sat for several days in a row and called the banks I could find in Bergen and in Western Norway. It varied a lot. Usually the answer was a variation of that if you do not have a Norwegian social security number, you will not get a BankID. Period, says Aakre.
The history from the chat with the bank shows that they reply “the bank has chosen this”.
Photo: Screenshot from chat with the bank
I think the state has all the information
What Aakre believes makes the most sense is for the Swedish Tax Agency to take over the eID system at the highest level.
The tax authorities already take care of much of what must be collected when new residents move into the country, including passports and identification
When you have to go to, for example, the Service Center for foreign workers to report a move to Norway, you must register with a passport or identification card.
– Then they have all the information they need later to issue an eID. There is no reason to go round the bank, says Aakre.
When you first register for BankID, the app asks for your birth or D number. The chance that you will identify yourself with the d-number is minimal.
Photo: John Inge Johansen / NRK
Ever since the introduction of the eID, the state has worked with various strategies for more people to gain access.
The freshest strategy is nevertheless grim reading for those concerned with avoiding discrimination:
- Of 300 million logins to public digital services, BankID (private provider) accounted for 93.44 per cent. MinID (state provider) for 5.5 per cent.
- Lack of eID at a high security level can lead to digital alienation for the elderly, those in need of help, young people, drug addicts, foreign citizens, students, refugees, diplomats and people under guardianship.
Digitization Minister Karianne Oldernes Tung says that there are changes underway now.
Photo: Theo Aasland Valen
The Minister: – Everyone must get an electronic ID
– We know that there are many people who are digitally excluded in our society. We know that there are many different explanations for that. That is why we are working to ensure that everyone can get an electronic ID, says Minister for Digitalization and Administration Karianne Oldernes Tung (Ap).
An electronic ID is required when applying for a nursery school place, an after-school place, submitting a tax return, accessing your own salary in the online bank, booking a doctor’s appointment, applying for unemployment benefits and complaining about decisions.
– We have prepared both a strategy and an action plan so that more people will have access to it.
– The Ministry of Justice is now also arranging for foreign nationals to have easier access to valid identification. We need to be digital, says the minister
– En large proportion abstains voluntarily from using digital tools, because you do not want society to go in that direction. What do you do with them?
– You are allowed to do that, so you can register and be allowed to deliver on paper and receive things on paper. It should be a possibility.
Finally got a social security number
For Aakre’s roommate, things have taken time, but the problems have finally been resolved. Even with a passport from another EEA country and a Norwegian d-number, she has now also received a Norwegian social security number.
– In the third year after she came to Norway, things have resolved. We finally got the move registered. Then she got a social security number and could declare: “I’m finally human”. It was a very good day, but the fact that it would take so long was very frustrating, says Aakre.
