• Introduction
• Applying for an ID Card
• Checking the Applicant
• The Process of making the ID Card
• F.A.Qs

Which card should I choose?

Without doubt, p.v.c. or any substrate which relies upon dye sublimation printing for personalisation should be ignored. Whatever any supplier claims for security, these cards are simple to reproduce and also simple to change details.

Apart from special compounds (tied to specific manufacturers) the available choice on card type comes down to paper or teslin cored. Teslin is a plastic which, insofar as printing goes, behaves (almost) like paper.

Security print techniques on paper are advanced over teslin, although a clear border on encapsulation has to be included to seal the core, whereas with teslin, the heating process during encapsulation actually bonds the core to the laminate and produces a homogenous card which requires no separate border. This results in a far neater card.

Thicknesses of card can be dictated by choice of core and overlaminate. Generally teslin cored cards can be made to 0.030" similar to a standard credit card.

What size card should I choose?

There are two common accepted card formats ID1 and ID2, sized as follows:-

• ID1 86 x 54
• ID2 105 x 74

However, the size of card does not necessarily have to follow these constraints.

Are there any standards relating to the production of ID cards?

There are two of note, ID cards under ISO 7810 and Travel Documents under ICAO 9303: the ISO tolerances (because they are rooted in bank cards and machine readability) are far tighter than ICAO.

How can I add extra security to the card design?

There are several ways in which to add security. Firstly, as a standard requirement the card should be made in such that a way that any attempts at delaminating the encapsulation from the core results in the core being destroyed.

The print design should include microtext and inks which fluoresce under UV or IR light. Fugitive inks are unnecessary since it should not be possible to open the card.

The inclusion of a machine readable element which ties in with the personal data on the card greatly enhances security - and in the case of barcode (1D or 2D) is effectively without additional cost.

The finished card may include an embossed feature, in which case this should be positioned such as to sit over the border of the facial image.

An OVD or hologram may be included - although hologram generation is expensive.