The Czech national identity card (, citizen card, literally civic certificate; ) is the identity document used in the Czech Republic (and formerly in Czechoslovakia), in addition to the Czech passport. It is issued to all citizens, and every person above 15 years of age permanently living in the Czech Republic is required by law to hold a valid identity card. It is possible to use the ID card instead of a passport for travel within European Union or Schengen Area and to some other European states (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Georgia, North Macedonia, Moldova, and Serbia), but not to Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Montserrat. History The first mandatory identity document was introduced during the German occupation, on 17 March 1939 in a decree made by Reichsprotektor Konstantin von Neurath. This document was based on the model of a similar document already in use in the Third Reich and included a photograph. Known as a legitimace, it was often nicknamed kennkarta. During the communist regime (1948–89) this simple card developed into a booklet dozens of pages long. It contained such personal details as employment history and vaccination records. Requirements To acquire the machine-readable version of the card, a citizen must present either a currently valid card (in case of renewals), or a currently valid passport, or a birth certificate and proof of citizenship. A photograph is made at the premises of the issuing authority; the form is filled out by an employee of the issuing authority and only requires the signature of the applicant. To acquire the non-machine-readable version, a citizen must present a filled out application, two photographs, and either a currently valid card (in case of renewals) or a birth certificate and proof of citizenship. Photograph The photograph must be , depict the current appearance of the individual in civilian clothes, show the person looking forwards with the distance from the eyes to the chin at least , without dark glasses (except the blind), without any head cover (except for health or religious reasons, which may not cover the face in a way that makes the person difficult to distinguish). The photograph must be smooth. The person on the photo is required to have their eyes opened, mouth closed and keep their facial expression neutral. Data included Front side Card ID Surname First name Date of birth Nationality (Česká republika) Date of expiration Reverse Place