Cologne decides to use WebID invention Videoident to register marriages

Cologne decides to use WebID invention Videoident to register marriages as well as registrations and re-registrations

After the state capital of Wiesbaden made the political decision shortly before Easter to introduce the city-wide video identification procedure invented by WebID and now established worldwide, the most populous city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne, followed suit today. The resolution provides for the introduction of Videoident for the registration of marriages as well as for registrations and re-registrations. A positive outcome had been expected in that the participating parliamentary groups of the Greens, CDU, SPD, FDP and Volt have a clear majority in the digitalisation committee.

ideoident describes the globally established online identification procedure, which replaces physical identification on site with a video call with trained personnel, in compliance with money laundering and data protection legislation. Invented in 2011 by Frank S. Jorga, BaFin confirmed the conformity of the procedure in 2014, paving the way for the use of digital identity procedures in regulated areas of Germany. Today, it is recognised across all industries as a proven method for fast, secure and convenient identification and is also increasingly being used in eGovernment. in 2021, Wiesbaden was the first German administration to introduce the procedure for the digital registration of marriages. As a result of the high level of user satisfaction (94%) and a usage rate of 98 per cent compared to the eID alternative introduced in 2022, the Hessian state capital also integrated the procedure in the context of digital registration and re-registration last year. As part of the political decision to introduce the procedure city-wide, Wiesbaden recently announced that the procedure would have a user satisfaction rate of 100 per cent in this context. The successful results have now prompted the Cologne Digital Committee to follow Wiesbaden’s example and decide to use the WebID invention for marriage registrations as well as registrations and re-registrations.

Frank S. Jorga, founder and co-CEO of WebID Solutions, sees the decision as an important step in eGovernment:

„Today’s decision proves that Wiesbaden’s successful projects are no longer just pioneering concepts, but rather lighthouse initiatives that metropolises with millions of inhabitants such as Cologne are now following. It is another step towards a more digital future and a more citizen- and administration-friendly Germany!“

With just under 1.1 million inhabitants, Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany. In addition to the number of new registrations within Cologne, a total of 58,189 new residents and 4,600 registrations for marriages were processed physically in 2023 alone. In addition to the introduction of Videoident, the „qualified electronic signature“ is to be integrated into the Cologne registry office. It is not yet known when Cologne citizens will be able to use these services. However, it is certain that the administration will identify further citizen services for which identification by video call with trained staff would be an option. Further information on the two flagship initiatives of the city of Wiesbaden can be found in the case studies on online marriage registration and digital registration and re-registration.