Swedish company Wisekey is ready to start making the new generation of e-passports and e-IDs as envisaged by the latest changes to the regulations on issuing of personal IDs.

The new generation of personal IDs will begin from October 31, the Government announced on May 9.

"This is an extremely optimistic date," Antony Djambazov, Wisekey's sales manager for Bulgaria, told The Sofia Echo.

He said that a tender for a company to carry out the modernisation project was yet to be announced. This will be followed by a wait of at least a month for the announcement of the winner, and at least a month for other companies to appeal against the decision. After that, Djambazov said, technical preparation will take at least a year.

Issuing of the updated documents will be obligatory from October 31 for those needing an ID or a passport for the first time, or have lost theirs. Others will also be able to apply for new documents voluntarily. Nonetheless, it is yet to be decided by the Government whether the updated documents will later be made obligatory for all.

Wisekey has been involved in such projects in about 40 countries. Company representatives told a news conference on May 10 that the new e-documents would be the solution to document fraud. The modernised e-documents will not look much different to the current passport and IDs used by Bulgarians, Djambazov said. The main difference will be inside. They will contain new biometric data, such as a scanning of the person's retina and a thumb imprint.

In the case of the Bulgarian ID cards, these will also contain a unique digital certificate to be issued by the Government. In a case of loss, there will be a special number for citizens to call and immediately have their unique electronic certificate cancelled. IDs will only be accessible by using a PIN code that will be made known only to its owner.

The new documents will have many more advantages to the current ones.

"With the e-passports, Bulgarians will travel abroad much easier because the time for customs control will be significantly reduced." the technical manager of Wisekey Bulgaria, Domitur Bogachev, said.

With the construction of the necessary e-infrastructure, the new e-IDs could become a universal document enabling, among other things, voting online, payment of taxes and insurances, checking on health records, registration of new cars and houses, Bogachev said. The company that wins the tender will provide the needed technology for the making of the documents. The cost of the documents will also be significantly higher - between 13 and 70 euro, depending on whether the Government will subsidise part of the cost.