User guide

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Overview

eID-Me is a mobile device-based digital identity that gives you secure control of your identity.

During registration, you use your mobile device to prove your identity by taking a selfie with liveness check, and scanning your government-issued photo identity documents (e.g., driver’s licence, passport). Your mobile device is then issued a unique eID-Me digital identity, which includes a digital certificate with identity claims (verified pieces of information about you).

You can then use your eID-Me digital identity to easily access services and securely share identity information in identity transactions both online and offline (in person).

eID-Me can save you time and trouble wherever your identity needs to be verified.

eID-Me is private

Your identity information is always in your possession on your mobile device. It is never hosted by a centralized service or third-party provider or stored in the Cloud. Once your identity information is verified, a secure certificate is installed on your mobile device. That information is not accessible to anyone but you, until you choose to share it in an identity transaction.

Identity transactions let you securely share your verified identity information with trusted organizations (relying parties) in exchange for access to their services (e.g., government benefits, credit card applications, check-in at a new medical clinic).

You can initiate identity transactions online by providing your eID, which acts as an anonymous username, on a relying party’s website. You can also initiate identity transactions in person by selecting a button in the eID-Me app to connect to a relying party’s system over an encrypted Bluetooth connection.

This prompts the relying party’s system to send an identity request to your mobile device. Identity requests always show you which relying party is requesting your information and exactly which pieces of information they are requesting. You can also choose to provide any additional optional information, or deny the identity transaction completely if you feel the relying party is asking for more information than you wish to share.

Traditionally, people had to reveal more personal information than necessary because identity information was grouped together on ID cards (e.g., age, name, and address on a driver’s licence). With eID-Me, if a relying party needs to verify your age, you can share just your age. Your name, address, and other information remains private. Manage your identity by choosing what information to share.

eID-Me is convenient

eID-Me lets you easily prove your identity to access government, financial, health care, and other ID-enabled services anytime, anywhere, and in minutes, not weeks.

Unlock your eID-Me app with the authentication method (e.g., Face ID/Face Unlock, PIN, etc.) you use to unlock your mobile device. Log in to websites password-free by sending identity requests to your mobile device. Share verified identity information without filling out long forms (and without typos).

eID-Me is secure

Your eID-Me identity is secured in a digital wallet within your eID-Me app. Your identity information is protected using AES 256-bit encryption and the strongest security mechanisms available on your mobile device.

Instead of an online database that contains everyone’s identity information, your identity information is only stored on your mobile device. There is no centralized storage of information, which means there is nothing for hackers to target.

During identity transactions, your identity information is protected with strong public key cryptography to ensure your information is only shared with the relying party you intend to share it with.

Getting started

Requirements

Currently, to register for eID-Me, you will need:

An iOS mobile device (with iOS 14 or later) or an NFC-enabled Android mobile device (with Android 6 or later). To enable NFC (near-field communication) on Android, open the Settings app and select “Connected devices” or a similar option like “Wireless & networks,” “Connections,” or “NFC,” and turn on NFC.
An email address
Access to the Canadian App Store or Google Play Store
One of the following Canadian government-issued photo IDs associated with your address (without an address sticker)
- Driver’s licence
- Photo ID card, or
- Services Card
Physically be close enough to the address associated with your photo ID card when you register
Recommended: passport to increase your Identity Assurance Level (IAL) and likelihood of passing identity verification. Your IAL conveys a level of confidence that your digital identity is your real identity. A higher IAL enables your identity to be trusted by more services.

To obtain an eID-Me digital identity, you must download eID-Me from the Canadian App Store or Google Play Store and register your mobile device.

To register your mobile device, open the eID-Me app and follow the on-screen instructions.

Watch the eID-Me registration tutorial

Click here to watch the eID-Me registration tutorial.

Enable your mobile device’s authentication method (and never disable it)

Important: Ensure your mobile device’s authentication method (e.g., Face ID/Face Unlock, PIN, etc.) is enabled and never disable it.

If you disable it, your eID-Me data will no longer be accessible, and you will not be able to regain access, even if you re-enable it.

eID-Me uses the authentication method you use to unlock your mobile device to lock your eID-Me app, encrypt your eID-Me data, and hide your sensitive information.

We recommend using the strongest authentication possible. A convenient and strong authentication method is to use your biometric scan (face or fingerprint) and set a passcode composed of four words (with at least one unique word), using a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, a number, and a symbol. Example: DeepBlue7PterodactylFrienD&. This technique generates passwords that are relatively easy to visualize and remember.

Enter your email address

You will need to enter your email address to register for an eID. To save time, enter an email address that you have connected to an email app on your mobile device. If you received an email invitation to use this app for identity verification, you must use the same email address that the invitation was sent to. Once you have entered your email address in the eID-Me app, open your email app, and open the email with the subject line: “Welcome to eID-Me” (sent by no-reply@eid-me.com). Select the blue “Register now” button. It should redirect you to the eID-Me app to proceed with registration.

If you provided an email address that is not connected to an email app on your mobile device, you will need to manually input the registration code into your eID-Me app (see the next section).

Manually input registration code

The eID-Me registration code is in bold at the bottom of the email.

eID-Me registration code

Go to a computer or alternate mobile device, open your email app, and open the email with the subject line: “Welcome to eID-Me” (sent by no-reply@eid-me.com). Find the registration code in bold at the end of the email (see the image above). Manually input the code onto the dotted line provided on your eID-Me app.

You are now ready to start identity verification.

Resend email

Your registration code email may take a few minutes to be received. Please be patient, and check your spam folder if you do not receive it. You may request a new email after 5 minutes. There are a limited number of registration code emails that you can request. Once you have reached the maximum number of registration code emails, you can no longer request new emails. Please return to the previous screen to enter the code from the last email that you received.

Identity verification

Identity verification is the process of verifying your identity based on presented evidence. This process is performed remotely, in a self-serve manner, from your mobile device.

The remote identity verification process involves taking a selfie with liveness check, scanning identity documents, and submitting the information to the eID-Me Canadian resident servers for verification. We need your information for identity verification before you receive a digital identity. Your selfie is compared against your identity card or passport photo. Your mobile device location is compared against your home address. These checks ensure that you are not an imposter. This information is processed by our eID-Me servers and then erased. Read our privacy policy.

What you will need to get started

In the current version of eID-Me, to perform identity verification, you will need:

One of the following government-issued photo ID associated with your address (without an address sticker)
- Driver’s licence
- Photo ID card, or
- Services card
Physically be close enough to the address associated with your photo ID card when you register
- You must perform the identity verification close enough to your home address and enable access to location data because your home address on your identity documents needs to be verified against your current location. Your location is only accessed once during registration. Location data access can later be disabled.
Recommended: passport to increase your Identity Assurance Level (IAL) and likelihood of passing identity verification. Your IAL conveys a level of confidence that your digital identity is your real identity. A higher IAL enables your identity to be trusted by more services.

You may also choose to scan your Ontario or Quebec health card to add your health card information to your eID-Me app.

Selfie with liveness check

Watch the liveness check demo.

You must enable access to your mobile device’s camera because your portrait images on your identity documents need to be verified against your selfie via a biometric match. Your photo is only accessed once during registration, and will not be displayed anywhere in the app nor saved after registration. Camera access can later be disabled.

The capture process has instructions to follow to prove that you are taking a live selfie. These instructions are simple and appear in front of the camera image during the selfie capture. At the same time, some simple graphics also accompany the instructions to help guide you.

The selfie capture process will fail if your face is not in the frame at all times. You must also ensure that only one face is visible, and that the background is clear of other people.

Here are some suggestions to improve liveness check results:

Ensure your face is in the frame at all times. An overlay graphic on the capture view will help you guide your face to the correct position.
Ensure your face is the only face visible. No one else or any object should be in the frame.
Ensure there is adequate lighting. The capture process may also fail if the lighting is too dark. The camera flash is not recommended to be used because this will cause glare, so you must find a location where there is good lighting.
Ensure there is no glare from strong light sources. The capture process may fail if there are reflections or glare from strong light sources. Try to position yourself to remove any glare from the capture process.
Ensure that the mobile device’s camera lens is clean. Dust or grime on your mobile device’s camera lens will impede eID-Me’s ability to accurately capture your selfie. The lens can be cleaned by gently wiping it with a microfibre cloth.
Ensure there is nothing obstructing your face. Remove strands of hair obstructing your view, glasses (as they may cause glare), and big accessories to improve the camera detection.

Scanning identity documents

During identity verification, the information that you scan from your identity documents with your eID-Me app is securely stored on your mobile device.

When this information is submitted to the eID-Me servers for verification, the information is erased after each attempt to pass identity verification.

When the identity verification passes, your submitted information is transformed into a digital identity, installed on your mobile device, and then erased on the servers. This information is also encrypted so that only your mobile device can decrypt it.

If you do not complete the identity verification process, the scanned information is retained on the eID-Me servers for a maximum of two hours, before being erased.

Scanning your identity cards

Both the front and back of identity cards are captured and processed to extract the information on them.

Here are some suggestions to improve scanning results:

Ensure the indicated side of the identity card is showing.
Ensure the four edges of the card are visible. The capture process will fail if eID-Me cannot detect all four edges of the identity card. Ensure that all four edges are within the camera view as you are scanning. An overlay graphic on the capture view will help you guide the card to the correct position.
Ensure that there are no other edges in the frame. Only the card’s edges and the background should be in the frame.
Ensure your identity card is clean. eID-Me processes fine details on your identity cards such as the portrait photograph, logos, and 2D barcodes. Dirt or damage on the card may cause the capture process to fail.
Ensure the card is placed against a plain black background. Do not hold the card with your hand as the capture process tries to find all of the boundaries and must be clear of obstructions. The background surface should be clear of any patterns or clutter.
Ensure there is adequate lighting. The capture process may also fail if the lighting is too dark. The camera flash is not recommended to be used because this will cause glare, so you must find a location where there is good lighting.
Ensure there is no glare from strong light sources. The capture process may fail if there are reflections or glare from strong light sources. Try to position yourself to remove any glare from the capture process.
Ensure that the mobile device’s camera lens is clean. Dust or grime on your mobile device’s camera lens will impede eID-Me’s ability to accurately process some of the fine details of your identity documents. The lens can be cleaned by gently wiping it with a microfibre cloth.

Scanning an address sticker

If you have moved, you may receive an address sticker (with your new address) to place on your identity card. An updated address is needed to ensure a successful identity verification.

Here are some suggestions to improve scanning results:

Ensure the address sticker is centred to the scanning area.
Ensure the card with the address sticker is placed against a plain black background. Do not hold the card with your hand as the capture process tries to find all of the boundaries and must be clear of obstructions. The background surface should be clear of any patterns or clutter.
Ensure there is adequate lighting. The capture process may also fail if the lighting is too dark. The camera flash is not recommended to be used because this will cause glare, so you must find a location where there is good lighting.
Ensure there is no glare from strong light sources. The capture process may fail if there are reflections or glare from strong light sources. Try to position yourself to remove any glare from the capture process.
Ensure that the mobile device’s camera lens is clean. Dust or grime on your mobile device’s camera lens will impede eID-Me’s ability to accurately process some of the fine details of your identity documents. The lens can be cleaned by gently wiping it with a microfibre cloth.

Enter your mobile number

You may be requested to enter your mobile number during registration. The mobile number is used to verify your information against mobile carrier records. This is an additional check required by the organization that is requesting your information, to increase the level of identity assurance.

Scanning your passport

eID-Me only supports e-passports, which are passports with an embedded electronic microprocessor chip, containing information. You can tell if your passport has this capability by ensuring that it has the following biometric symbol printed on the front cover.

Passport biometric symbol

There are two types of scans that must be done to capture the information from a passport. The first scan uses your mobile device’s camera to process the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) on your passport’s photo page. The MRZ on a passport is the area at the bottom of the photo page where two lines of text are located. The MRZ must be scanned to allow access to data contained within the passport chip. The second scan uses your mobile device’s NFC (near-field communication) to read the information from your passport chip.

The following suggestions will help maximize your chances of successfully completing both types of scans of the passport.

Scanning your passport’s photo page

The MRZ is located near the bottom of the photo page of your passport. It consists of two lines of alphanumeric text with filler characters (<).

Passport Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) code

The Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) of the passport photo page

The eID-Me app will automatically find the MRZ and process the information (provided you position the passport properly within the camera view). An overlay for the camera view will help you guide the passport to the correct position.

Try to hold the passport open near the top of the page such that the page is flat (see the following diagram). A plain black background is recommended.

Hold your passport by the page opposite to the visual inspection page.

How to hold your passport for MRZ scanning

Many passports have a glossy coating on this page. It is important to try and minimize the glare that can occur due to this glossy finish. If you see glare on the page, try to change the orientation or position to remove any reflections of light.

Here are some suggestions to improve scanning results:

Ensure the photo page of the passport is showing.
Ensure the four edges of the passport photo page are visible. The capture process will fail if eID-Me cannot detect all four edges of the passport. Ensure that all four edges are within the camera view as you are scanning. An overlay graphic on the capture view will help you guide the passport to the correct position.
Ensure that there are no other edges in the frame. Only the passport’s edges and the background should be in the frame.
Ensure your passport is clean. eID-Me processes fine details on your passport such as the portrait photograph, MRZ, logos, and 2D barcodes. Dirt or damage on the passport may cause the capture process to fail.
Ensure the passport is placed against a plain black background. Do not hold the passport photo page with your hand as the capture process tries to find all of the boundaries and must be clear of obstructions. The background surface should be clear of any patterns or clutter.
Ensure there is adequate lighting. The capture process may also fail if the lighting is too dark. The camera flash is not recommended to be used because this will cause glare, so you must find a location where there is good lighting.
Ensure there is no glare from strong light sources. The capture process may fail if there are reflections or glare from strong light sources. Try to position yourself to remove any glare from the capture process.
Ensure that the mobile device’s camera lens is clean. Dust or grime on your mobile device’s camera lens will impede eID-Me’s ability to accurately process some of the fine details of your identity documents. The lens can be cleaned by gently wiping it with a microfibre cloth.

Scanning your passport chip (via NFC)

Once the MRZ has been successfully scanned, the next step is to scan the stored information from the passport chip via near-field communication (NFC). On a Canadian passport, the chip is located inside the back cover (for pre-2023 passports), or on a data page (page 1, for 2023 passports). For the best results in doing the NFC scan, follow these steps:

If you have a mobile device case or passport case, you may need to remove them to improve your chances of scanning successfully.
Do not start the NFC scan until your mobile device is properly positioned (see the next steps).
Open your passport. Position your phone on the passport as shown in the animation on the screen.
Tightly place your mobile device directly on the inside data page with the top of the mobile device slightly below the top of your passport (about 3 cm down) for iOS, or right in the centre of your passport for Android (see photos below).
Once in position, select the "Scan Passport" button without moving your mobile device. The scanning operation should take about three seconds. If the scan fails, move your mobile device down a centimetre for iOS, or up/down a centimetre for Android and try again. (It is important to not move the mobile device during the scan operation.) Repeat this step until the top/bottom of your mobile device reaches the bottom/top of your passport. If the scan still has not succeeded, please go back and repeat the MRZ code scan on the passport photo page, and try scanning your passport chip again.

The eID-Me app displays an animation indicating the location of the passport chip for different passports. For non-Canadian passports, you may be asked to open the passport and position your mobile device on the front cover, the data page, or the back cover. Please follow the written instructions on screen and follow the steps above for best results in doing the passport chip scan. You may need to try multiple ways to scan your passport as passports have different chip locations.

Place your mobile device directly on the inside data page with the top of the mobile device slightly below the top of your passport (about 3 cm down) for iOS

How to position your mobile device for passport chip scanning (iOS)

Place your mobile device directly on the inside data page with the top of the mobile device right in the centre of your passport for Android

How to position your mobile device for passport chip scanning (Android)

Change name order

The order of the parts of your name may be inconsistent between different scanned identity documents. Your name order has to be consistent and accurate before you submit to increase your likelihood of passing identity verification.

Select ‘Change name order’ and then hold the icon located to the right of each part of your name and drag it to its correct location. Select ‘Done’ to save and return to the submission screen.

Submitting for identity verification

The submitted identity information is checked for integrity, consistency, and accuracy. A biometric face comparison is performed between your selfie and portrait images obtained from your identity documents.

Identity verification results

Identity verification encompasses a variety of different measures derived from the information you submit. These measures are combined to produce an overall result. After submission, the results from the eID-Me identity verification server are displayed. You will see an overall pass/fail score, which determines if a digital identity can be issued on your mobile device, as well as the results of some of the underlying measures. This breakdown is meant to help you understand why a failure may have occurred.

Address validity

This is a measure of the validity of your address.

Possible cause of failure: Some or all of the addresses provided did not match what is on record with verification sources.

Closeness to home

This is a measure of how close you are to your home address based on your mobile device location.

Possible cause of failure: Your current location is too far from your provided home address. Remote identity verification requires that you are at your home address.

Date of birth validity

This is a measure of the validity of your date of birth.

Possible cause of failure: The date of birth provided did not match what is on record with verification sources.

Document consistency

This is a measure of the consistency of information between the submitted identity documents.

Possible cause of failure: Some of the information between two or more identity documents was inconsistent.

Document date validity

This is a measure of the validity of the submitted identity documents with respect to their expiry dates.

Possible cause of failure: One or more of the submitted identity documents have expired.

Identity Assurance Level (IAL)

The Identity Assurance Level between Level 1 and 4 that was achieved during identity verification.

Possible cause of failure: The Identity Assurance Level achieved did not meet the required level.

Name validity

This is a measure of the validity of your name.

Possible cause of failure: Some or all of the names provided did not match what is on record with verification sources.

Number of foundational documents

This is a count of the number of foundational documents provided for identity verification.

Possible cause of failuree: Not enough foundational documents were provided to achieve the required Identity Assurance Level.

Number of identity documents

This is a count of the number of identity documents provided for identity verification.

Possible cause of failure: Not enough identity documents were provided to achieve the required Identity Assurance Level.

Passport verification

This is an indication of whether the passport was successfully verified during identity verification.

Possible cause of failure: The passport information was inconsistent or was not signed properly by a trusted authority.

Selfie match

This is a measure of how well your selfie matched images on your identity documents or on record with verification sources.

Possible cause of failure: Your selfie did not sufficiently match the photos obtained from your identity documents or on record with verification sources. It is possible that some of your portrait photos from identity cards (such as driver’s licence photo) do not resemble your current appearance or are of insufficient quality to perform an accurate comparison.

You can try to improve the biometric match by retaking your selfie and ensuring that the lighting is good, you are not wearing glasses, and your facial expression is neutral. You can also try to recapture the photos of your identity cards (not the passport) with better quality lighting.

Identity issuance

If all of these identity verification checks pass, then you will be issued an eID-Me digital identity (your eID). Success!

A private key that proves that you own this identity is generated in your mobile device and never leaves your mobile device. This is the only place where the private key exists. Only you, and no one else, can assert claims from your eID-Me identity.

You can view your digital identity card (which contains your eID, e.g., pos614) from the main screen of your eID-Me app. You can also view details of your eID by selecting the digital identity card and selecting the “Details” tab.

After your eID is issued, all of your identity data is erased on the eID-Me servers. The only information remaining on the eID-Me servers is your anonymous eID-Me identifier and your registered mobile device push notification token.

Updating documents

If you wish to update your documents (e.g., adding an ID card/passport, or updating an old to new ID card), you will be required to perform identity verification again.

Select the type of document you wish to add from the list. Then, proceed with scanning your identity documents like you have before. If all of these identity verification checks pass, then you will be issued an eID-Me digital identity (your eID) once again.

Deleting your eID

If you wish to delete your eID, select the “More” icon on the top right corner of the main screen, and select “Delete”. Once you confirm the deletion of your eID, you will never be able to retrieve your digital identity information and eID again from the eID-Me app.

If you wish to register for an eID again, you will need to resubmit your identity information for identity verification.

Transaction history

Your identity verification transaction history is stored locally in the “Latest Transactions” section in your eID-Me app. You can view your latest transactions by selecting the digital identity card on the main screen and selecting the “View” tab.

Online usage

The websites that can use eID-Me for online transactions are called “relying parties.”

Online identity transaction flow

Referring to the above diagram, a typical online transaction with eID-Me works as follows:

Visit an eID-Me enabled website and initiate a transaction (by selecting a “Sign in with eID-Me” button or entering your username/email into the login field).
The relying party’s service contacts eID-Me via a federation protocol, which displays an eID-Me login form on the website. Type in your eID (located on the digital identity card on the main screen of your eID-Me app), and hit enter.
The eID-Me Identity Provider sends an encrypted message to your mobile device for you to view and approve. The name of the relying party making the request as well as what information they are asking for is clearly shown for your approval. You may select any additional optional information you wish to share with the relying party. To approve the request, you must select the correct 4-digit anti-phishing code (from four choices) in the request. The correct code is clearly displayed in the eID-Me login form on the website.
After confirming the transaction, the result is digitally signed by the eID-Me identity private key.
After verifying the result, the requested claims are returned to the relying party, and you get access to the relying party’s services.

Note that some claims are mandatory and others are optional. You can also choose to provide any additional optional information, or deny the identity transaction completely if you feel the relying party is asking for more information than you wish to share.

Offline (in-person) usage (coming soon)

eID-Me can also be used for offline (in-person) transactions as illustrated in the following diagram.

Diagram of an offline identity transaction flow, showing an identity request on the user's mobile device with requested information (birthdate, photo, email), and sending the information over encrypted bluetooth to a point of sale system with an "Age Verified" message.

Offline (in-person) identity transaction flow

For in-person transactions, there is no eID-Me service involved. These transactions are performed directly between your mobile device and a host system (considered to be the relying party). Even though no eID-Me services are involved, the user experience is very similar to the online transaction use case.

There are many possibilities for what the host system can be, including a point of sale (POS) terminal at a retail store, a medical clinic check-in station, a police officer’s mobile device, an automobile, and a home door lock.

Enable Bluetooth connections with eID-Me

eID-Me uses Bluetooth to let you securely connect to a relying party’s system and send encrypted identity information during in-person identity transactions. See the eID-Me privacy section above for more information on identity transactions.

eID-Me privacy policy

eID-Me is designed for maximal privacy. Bluink does not retain any of your personal information except your eID-Me identifier so that your mobile device can be contacted during online transactions. For more details on your privacy with eID-Me, see our privacy policy here: https://bluink.ca/eid-me/privacy-policy.

eID-Me FAQ

Have any questions? Please check our eID-Me FAQ: https://docs.bluink.ca/eid-me/faq.html.