Like an eVisa or passport, the ID will include a person’s name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and photo. Subject to forthcoming consultation — timeline TBD — other details, such as address, could also be added to the mix.  

The government said there will be “no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it.” But given it will be mandatory for anyone wanting to work in the U.K., it will be something millions of people will need to sign up for if they want to make a living. 

While curbing illegal migration is the focus for now, the government has also said that “in time” digital ID will “make it simpler to apply for services like driving licenses, childcare and welfare, while streamlining access to tax records.” 

The government also said the ID “will be available to use” for proving identity when voting in elections, and that it could also be used by private sector organizations, e.g. when setting up a bank account.

The government has said the consultation would consider how digital ID would work for people who don’t have a smartphone. 

What we don’t know

In short, quite a lot.  

Moldovans will go to the polls on Sunday in an election mired in meddling attempts that Western security officials and cyber intelligence firms say originate in Russia. Moldovan President Maia Sandu told the European Parliament on Monday that Russia is spending “hundreds of millions of euros” to subvert the election.

In one of the most recent attacks, hackers hijacked Wi-Fi routers to attempt to overload the servers of Moldova’s Central Electoral Commission, the country’s police chief Viorel Cernăuțeanu told local media on Wednesday, in what is known as a distributed denial-of-service attack.

Like Ukraine, Moldova is a “laboratory” for confronting “some of the most advanced hybrid threats of our times,” Nistor said. “This makes us a natural test bed for Europe, a place where we can test new tools [and] new policies.” 

According to Stanislav Secrieru, national security adviser to Sandu, “The scale of Russian interference today far exceeds what we saw in 2024.”

“We’re seeing unprecedented efforts: more money to buy votes, more AI-driven disinformation amplified by troll networks, and more resources dedicated to orchestrating street violence. Russia is pulling out all the stops to tip this election,” he told POLITICO.

Support for Moldova from the United States has waned, in part when it dismantled its development agency USAID earlier this year, putting more of the burden on Europe.