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Digital ID cards are still a rarity in most countries, but they're a staple of everyday life in Estonia -- locals use them for everything from e-voting to buying mass transit tickets. You currently have to live in the country to take advantage of these cards, however, and that's creating a real problem for non-residents wanting to set up shop. To solve this, Estonia now plans to hand out this identification to non-residents at the end of 2014, making it the first country to have a globally relevant digital ID. So long as applicants can provide the same biometric data and documents (along with a fee of around €30 to €50), they'll get either a card or a digital-only equivalent they can store on a smartphone's SIM card.

E-governance began in Estonia immediately after we restored our independence, as we began thinking of ways to catch up after 50 years of stunted growth. As for the IT sphere, we were at the same level as the rest of the world, equally absolute beginners. Estonia adopted the right decisions early and, as a result, we secured a place relatively close to the engine of the e-train, told the President, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, at the opening of e-estonia.com Showroom, which brings together the best practices of Estonian information society, reported BC presidential press service.

"The Estonian government was among the first in the world to have its own website, as far back as 1993 – that same year Mosaic, the first web browser, was invented," told the Head of State, in confirming that, "Estonia has done well and the rest of the world has noticed it."

A group of high-level government officials from Kyrgyzstan have come to Estonia this week to become acquainted with Estonia's e-government information system, reported BC the Estonian Foreign Ministry.

According to Estonia's Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, the purpose of the meeting is to support building the e-government information system in Kyrgyzstan and to provide consultations in preparation for the 2015 parliamentary elections. Kyrgyzstan's e-government coordination centre has been set the task of creating a secure environment for the exchange of information in order to provide citizens with electronic services, like the Estonian Information System.

“I gave my e-vote. This is not only convenient, but a vote of confidence to one of the best IT systems in the world, a vote of confidence to the Estonian State,” tweeted Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the president of Estonia on May 15th, marking the start of early voting for the European Parliament (the voting process will end on May 25th.)

While undoubtedly convenient, e-voting in Estonia might not be as safe as President Ilves think

An independent group of researchers recently tested the Estonian I-voting system used during the last municipal elections, held in October 2013, and concluded that the flaws and lapses in operational security make it vulnerable to manipulations. Therefore, it cannot be considered safe enough.

"The Nordic countries and the Baltic states, which are characterized by innovative thinking and experience in the development of e-governance, should take the leading role in implementing the goals of the European Union digital agenda," said the President Toomas Hendrik Ilves at the opening of the Nordic Digital Agendas Day in Tallinn on April 25, Friday, informs LETA.

The Head of State introduced Estonia's e-governance opportunities, security and strengths to the participants of the conference, and noted that secure digital identity is the key issue for the development of well-working e-solutions. "We should strive to achieve a system of digital signatures that could be acceptable throughout the Nordic countries and Baltic states, as this would facilitate co-operation in the sphere of various e-services. Last year, Estonia and Finland entered into an agreement that will allow the citizens of both countries to enjoy similar digital services, among these the creation of a common e-prescription system," told President Ilves.

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IfG.CC - The Institute for eGovernment

Estonia will hand out digital ID cards to non-residents

Ilves: Estonia’s IT success must be demonstrated and introduced

EE: Kyrgyzstan introduced to Estonia's e-government information system

Estonia's Online Voting System Is Not Secure, Researchers Say

Ilves: Nordic countries and Estonia have leading role in development of e-government