Our existing ID cards have been around since 1979. It has served us well, but it is time for an upgrade, and one that puts Barbados at the forefront of technology. Our new national ID card is called Trident which stands for Trusted Identity. Our new card is now also compliant with international standards for identification.

The Trident card is more durable and contains a number of physical security features to make it extremely difficult to counterfeit. It has an embossed Trident to assist those with visual impairments to be able to identify and orientate the card.  And it is now the same shape and size as all your other cards, making it easier to carry in your wallet or purse.

On the front of your Trident card is the same information you would expect on an ID card: your ID number, photo, name, sex, date of birth, nationality and signature. It also has the date of expiration for this card which is set at 10 years in most cases and space for additional information. On the back there is a Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) similar to that found on most modern passports and a QR code which can be used to access additional information.

As its name suggests, this area is for additional information about the holder. For non-citizens, it will denote the type of residency, and for those who choose, it will note if the holder has a disability. It will also indicate whether the person is minor or senior.

No. If you have a disability, having this on the card is completely optional. If you wish to state you that you have a disability, this will need to be verified with the National Disabilities Unit and only the word “Disability” will be added to the front of the card. The QR code on the back of the card will allow you to share the broad type of disability using the World Health Organzation’s ICF categorization.

The chip stores the same information that is on the card plus some additional information including your country of birth, details on your residential status and your address and contact information. If you have a driver’s license, this information is also stored on the chip. When you authorize the sharing of information, the system will first try to do this online, if it is unable to do so, it will use the offline version which is what is stored on the card.

The QR code will provide the same information that is visible on the front of the card. In addition, if you have a driver’s license, the QR code will also show your basic driver’s license information including driver’s license number, first issue date, expiration date, and the types of vehicles you are licensed to drive. If you have chosen to have the word “Disability” displayed on the card, the QR code will show the broad category heading from the World Health Organization ICF categorization.

There are a number of ways to control your information. The first is controlling physical access to your card. If you show someone your card, that means you are giving them permission to view your card. If you allow someone to scan the QR code on your card, that also means you are giving them permission to view the information accessible by the QR code. If you insert your card in to a travel-document reader, it will share the same information as an ePassport would. If you insert your card in to a terminal and enter a PIN number, you are giving permission to access additional information. Exactly what information you are giving permission to access will depend on the use, but you will be informed in advance of what information is being requested in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

At launch, the information includes the information on the card and the additional information stored in the chip. New services will only be added once they have been thoroughly tested to ensure the privacy of your information.

The opening hours are Monday- Friday 8:30 am – 4pm and Saturday 9am – 1pm (Collections only).

ALL of the old blue National ID cards will be replaced by the New ID cards. The Trident eID which can be placed on your phone or mobile device is optional. This will allow you to be remotely authenticated and do business, as well as sign documents remotely