The additional storage of two fingerprints will be voluntary until July 2021 after that, this will be required for newly issued ID cards throughout Europe. A higher-resolution version of the holder's picture is also stored on the chip. The chip contains all the data found in the card's machine-readable zone and all the data printed on the card (except for height, eye colour, and signature). This ensures that German ID cards can be read by machines for border-control purposes (for example). It is designed to meet the specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO). The machine-readable zone ( MRZ) is located along the lower edge of the back of the card. Religious name or pseudonym (if applicable).Address (if abroad, states 'primary place of residence outside of Germany').The following images show the data that is printed on the front and back of a German ID card: Der Personalausweis Source: Bundesministerium des Innern - BMI Unlike those used in the past, these ID cards are only as large as a credit card and include a contactless chip. The ID cards currently used in Germany were introduced on 1 November 2010.
