Smart-ID account registration and renewal in Latvia now powered by NFC
If you have a Latvian eID card and an NFC-enabled smartphone, you can now create or renew your Smart-ID account using only your phone and eID card. The new registration method replaces the previous registration process using an eID card reader, so everything can now be completed in one place-on your phone.
In addition to being more convenient, the new method also provides a high level of security. For registration to be possible, the phone and eID card must be physically together, since identity verification is carried out by reading the eID card’s chip. This means that a person who does not have access to the physical eID card cannot create a Smart-ID account.
How do you register a Smart-ID with an eID card?
Registration takes only a few minutes:
- Download or update the Smart-ID app.
- Select registration with an eID card.
- Enter the required card details.
- When prompted by the app, hold the eID card against your phone.
- Create your Smart-ID PIN codes and complete the account activation.
The entire process is completed on your phone and usually takes up to five minutes.
What is required?
To use NFC registration, you will need:
- A Latvian eID card.
- An NFC-enabled smartphone.
- The Smart-ID app.
- Valid eID card PIN codes.
Can other registration methods still be used?
Yes! If you have previously registered a Smart-ID account, you can still use biometric identification to create a new Smart-ID account. You do not need access to your existing Smart-ID account, but you will need access to the email address or mobile phone number used previously.
After registration, you will be able to use Smart-ID for secure authentication, electronically signing documents, and accessing various digital services. More practical and useful information about how to use NFC technology step by step when registering your first Smart-ID account can be found here.
Smart-ID’s new NFC registration option will be introduced in Latvia on September 22nd, from 11 PM, 2026. From that date, account registration using eID card readers will be discontinued.
NFC registration is not possible for eID cards with the chip version “Cosmo 8.1” that were issued between September 2, 2019 and January 30, 2026. To check whether your eID card is one of the affected cards, visit: https://reg.eparaksts.lv/eidinfo