The Latvian pilot of the European Digital Identity Wallet was tested by representatives of different ages, digital skills and professions

From April 1, 2023, to August 31, 2025, a pilot project for a European digital identity wallet was implemented in Latvia. It was implemented as a pilot project by the NOBID consortium, which brings together Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Italy, and Latvia. During this time, several partners collaborated – the Latvian State Radio and Television Center (LVRTC), the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (VARAM), SEB Bank, Riga Technical University (RTU), and the Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD) – a digital wallet pilot application was developed, which, prior to the development of the basic application, would allow the user experience to be evaluated and ensure that its basic functionality complies with user habits and expectations, as well as that its security and ease of use comply with the specified requirements. The technical solution for the pilot project prototype – the source code – has been published and is freely available to everyone at https://github.com/nobid-lsp-latvia.

Project No. 101102740—NOBID Wallet—DIGITAL-2022-DEPLOY-02. The total funding for the project is EUR 1,593,026.70, of which 50% was financed by the European Union’s Digital Europe program and 50% by national co-financing approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

How the pilot application was tested

Residents were involved in testing the pilot application, which took place in a safe environment that closely resembled everyday conditions, without using real personal data. Simulated partner system responses or anonymized data were used for document issuance, signing, payments, and stamping.

Residents were invited to apply to test the pilot application, and the response was particularly high, with more than 100 people applying. Unfortunately, LVRTC was unable to approve everyone who expressed an interest in participating in the tests.

In order to ensure the most diverse user experience possible, participants were selected based on age, gender, and level of digital skills. The testing took place in person and was led by an LVRTC usability expert, while the tests were observed and the conclusions recorded by the project implementation team.

Participants were asked to complete seven basic tasks that simulated real-life situations:

App activation (onboarding) and adding a digital identity to the wallet.

Presenting a digital identity and verifying the data received.

Adding diplomas to the wallet.

Presenting a diploma and verifying the data received.

Adding a driver’s license to the wallet.

Electronic signing of documents.

Adding a payment method and making a payment.

The aim of the test was to identify strengths and weaknesses in usability, assess user confidence and satisfaction, and obtain practical feedback based on user comments for further development.

How future users of the digital wallet evaluate the pilot app

The most questions were raised about app activation (onboarding) and adding a digital identity. Some test participants considered these to be overly complicated, while others felt quite the opposite – they considered the simple flow to be too insecure and wanted additional authentication methods, such as biometric verification or scanning of personal identification documents. Several users commented: “If it’s so easy to log in, it doesn’t seem secure” or “I only trust it because it’s an EU project.”

When installing the app, users saw the message “Scan QR code” on the app’s start screen, which is intended to initiate the addition of an identity via the digital wallet portal and eID card, but several users thought that this meant scanning their physical eID card.

Some test participants were unclear about which PIN to enter, with some attempting to enter their SIM PIN or eParaksts mobile PIN because it was not clear that they should use their device PIN. As a result, they tried to scan the QR code on their eID card with their phone camera, and when that didn’t work, they became confused and felt that the process was not intuitive. Several commented that this labeling was misleading and “did not lead where expected.”

Onboarding process, or the user’s initial registration with EDIM and addition of personal identification data. First, the user logs in with one of the national electronic identification tools (eID card, eSignature mobile). Then, the communication channels – phone number and email address – are confirmed. Once these steps are done and the registration process is complete, the person can add the first document to their account – a card with their basic identification data.

Creating a digital identity is considered easy

All users found it easy to present their digital identity. At this stage, it was planned to use a QR code to transfer data to the service provider in order to receive the service. Although the existing functionality allows users to choose what data to share, several users said they would like to receive more information about how data is processed, transferred, and received in order to make more informed decisions.

Adding and presenting educational documents

Adding a diploma to the account was perceived as very convenient and simple, but several users expressed concerns about excessive automation and wanted to understand where the data was obtained from. The simplicity was appreciated, but users wanted a little explanation to strengthen their trust. The app’s interface reminded some users of familiar platforms such as Google or Apple Wallet, which created an additional sense of security.

The digital wallet allows users to present their education documents when necessary. This feature was also tested. When presenting their diplomas, most users expected to be able to tap on the diploma card to present it, rather than using the QR button function. The use of QR codes again raised questions about data content and control. Some users had difficulty finding the correct starting point for presenting their diploma, which indicates a need for clearer instructions.

Adding a driver’s license was the fastest task

Adding a driver’s license to the wallet was the most successful task with the highest level of satisfaction and trust. Users found the process to be fast, intuitive, and secure, and it serves as a model for the development of similar flows.

Signing documents

For many test participants, signing electronic documents is an everyday occurrence, but for some, this was their first experience. All users were able to sign the electronic document. Experienced users pointed out that the application should provide immediate confirmation that the document has been signed. This is one of the recommendations that should definitely be implemented in the basic application.

Making payments

Making payments was generally convenient and intuitive for users, but there was some confusion between adding a payment method and adding a specific card. Many test participants expected that when selecting a bank, the app would redirect them directly to the relevant section of the bank’s app, rather than to its home page. Additional security measures, such as a secondary PIN, seemed preferable to some users.

“The app tests can be considered successful, and the results obtained clearly reflect both the strengths and areas for improvement of the developed solution. In implementing the pilot app, LVRTC has been able to draw on 17 years of experience in providing reliable services and the expertise we have developed over several years, providing not only the technological platform, but also three mobile applications and related customer service, which is crucial when providing such sensitive services to residents with very different digital skills, habits, and requirements,” emphasizes Kārlis Siliņš, Director of the Commercial Department at LVRTC.