Table of Contents
The three most important points at a glance:
Secure identification procedures such as PostIdent and VideoIdent are essential for online transactions and account openings.
Various procedures such as the e-Ident procedure or the S-Ident procedure ensure fast and particularly secure identification checks, but are not yet available everywhere.
In Germany, for example, PostIdent is still predominantly used when applying for junior custody accounts.
In today's digital world, the protection of sensitive data plays a central role. Especially for online transactions, opening an account or concluding a contract, it is crucial that your identity is verified clearly and securely.
This is where identification methods such as PostIdent, VideoIdent and their modern alternatives come into play. They offer you secure and convenient solutions that make the identification process quick and easy.
Overview of the identification processes - how do they work?
In the following, we go into more detail about all the processes and how you can identify yourself using these methods:
| Verfahren | Beschreibung | Vorteile | Nachteile |
| PostIdent | Identification at the post office and PostIdent app | High security, broad acceptance | Visit to a branch is necessary (except when using the app) |
| VideoIdent | Identification online via video chat | Fast processing, possible from home | Stable internet connection required |
| e-Ident | Identification with the new ID card and NFC-enabled device | High security, regardless of location | NFC-enabled device and activated ID card required |
| S-Ident | Identification via smartphone app, often used by savings banks | Easy to use at any time via smartphone | Special app required |
| Biometrische | Identification via unique physical characteristics (e.g. fingerprint) | Extremely high security will probably be implemented more frequently in the future | Sometimes expensive to implement on the device |
PostIdent: Verification directly with a coupon at a Deutsche Post branch
The PostIdent procedure has been one of the most reliable methods of identity verification in Germany for many years. You have two options:
With a PostIdent coupon (this is usually provided to you by the provider after an application), you go to a post office branch and identify yourself there.
If you have already verified your identity at a branch, you can also use the PostIdent app with some providers as an alternative.
VideoIdent: Identification online - quickly and conveniently from home
The VideoIdent process is a modern and fast alternative to the PostIdent process. It became particularly popular during the coronavirus pandemic and takes place entirely online:
You start a video call (via provided link from the provider) and show an employee your ID.
Identification is completed within a few minutes.
E-Ident procedure: Online identification with the new ID card
The e-Ident procedure uses the online ID function of the new ID card. It offers a particularly high level of security:
With an NFC-enabled device (smartphone or card reader) and your ID card, you can identify yourself securely and easily.
Please note that you will need a new ID card that has been authorised for online transactions.
S-Ident procedure: Secure identification via smartphone
The S-Ident procedure has been specially developed for bank customers. Identification is carried out conveniently via an app on your smartphone:
The app guides you step by step through the identification process.
Biometric data such as fingerprints can be used for authentication, but are not mandatory.
Biometric identification methods: Future technology in use
Biometric methods such as fingerprint identification, facial recognition or, in particular, iris scans are becoming increasingly popular. They offer maximum security as they are based on individual physical characteristics that are difficult to forge.
In contrast to the special bank S-Ident, there are now even iris scans. Like fingerprints, these are also difficult to forge and are unique to each person.
The process could also become important outside the financial world in the future.
Examples of junior custody accounts with identification procedures
If you want to open a custody account for children, for example, secure identification is an essential step. Here are three examples of junior custody accounts that require identification procedures such as PostIdent or VideoIdent:
At 1822direkt, a subsidiary of Frankfurter Sparkasse, only the PostIdent procedure is used for custody accounts for minors. However, the VideoIdent procedure can also be used for some of the products offered by the savings bank so that identification can be completed conveniently from home.
Consorsbank also relies on secure identification procedures. Here you can choose between the classic PostIdent in the branch or the modern VideoIdent. If you are already a customer, verification is no longer necessary.
Age makes the difference here. Legitimisation via VideoIdent is possible from the age of 16. Before that, parents must prove their identity via PostIdent and the corresponding coupon.
As you can see, PostIdent is still particularly popular in Germany for bank-related legitimisation procedures.
These identification procedures ensure that the identity of the applicant is established beyond doubt before a Junior Depot is opened - an important step to ensure the security of your data and that of your children.
Conclusion: The right identification method for every situation
Whether PostIdent, VideoIdent or one of the modern e-Ident procedures - each identification procedure has its own strengths and offers you a secure way of confirming your identity.
While the PostIdent procedure is characterised by its reliability, VideoIdent and e-Ident score points for speed and convenience.
Each provider has its own preferences as to how customers should legitimise themselves. In most cases, you cannot choose which identification procedure the provider makes available.
But one thing is certain: your identity is protected!
Sources:
- Verbraucherzentrale: PostIdent-Verfahren und Alternativen
- Deutsche Post: PostIdent
- Adesso: Online-Identitätsprüfung: Drei Ident-Verfahren im Vergleich
- Bundesdruckerei: Von POS bis eID: Ident-Verfahren im Überblick
