New MitID process that requires a witness, challenges new international employees
The new MitID challenges many new international employees who are asked to visit Citizen Service and bring a witness to get MitID. As a result, you may be asked to act as a witness for a new international colleague.
Why might I be asked to be a witness?
It is a challenge for new international employees to find a person who can testify to their identity when they are new in Denmark and do not yet know their colleagues. Therefore, they will naturally choose to ask the people they have been in contact with at AU in connection with their employment: the department secretary, the centre administrator, the team leader, etc.
Unfortunately, the International Staff Office only has very limited opportunities to help. Therefore, they are reaching out to us at the departments who know the employees best and who are in direct contact with them.
What is a witness?
A witness is a person who knows the identity of the person to whom they act as a witness. During the MitID process, the witness must confirm the identity of the person by using their own MitID.
The witness must bring these things/comply with the conditions:
- be at least 18 years old.
- can only be a witness 3 times within 120 days.
- bring the MitID app or the MitID code shower. MitID must be activated for at least 30 days.
- bring a photo ID (such as a passport, national identity card, or driving licence issued in Denmark or Greenland).
- bring your Danish health insurance card or certificate of residence (bopælsattest) stating your CPR number
It is important to draw attention to the fact that you must sign online with your own personal MitID to confirm the identity of the person you are acting as a witness for. It is up to you to decide whether you want to be a witness or not. But no matter what, you must of course only act as a witness for people you know and who can show you valid picture documentation.
What is the problem?
The problem occurs when international employees try to set up the MitID app, where they must scan their passports. The scan of the passport is not always successful, and the process of getting the MitID therefore gets stuck. We have been informed that this challenge is expected to last until the end of the year. The Danish Agency for Digitisation is constantly working to improve the MitID app, but during the next few months, we can expect to be asked to act as a witness. In this way, we can try to help our international staff get off to the best possible start at AU without more administrative hassle than necessary.
If you are contacted
The International Staff Office encourages international employees to reach out to their contacts in the Department to find a witness. If you are contacted, please help the employee in the best way possible.
- If you know the person in question, you can choose to act as a witness yourself.
- If you do not know the person in question or do not want to act as a witness, you might know someone else who might be willing to help. He or she must know the identity of the international employee to act as a witness. Please refer the international employee to this person.
What is the process for getting MitID?
The process varies depending on the type of permit and passport international staff have.
- Non-EU citizens with administrative civil registration numbers (CPR numbers) in the work permit (employed researchers, visiting researchers and postdocs) can set up MitID via the app at the same time as they register with Citizen Service and activate their CPR number.
- EU citizens with a chip in their passport must wait 24 hours after the CPR registration before they can set up MitID via the app.
- Non-EU citizens without an administrative civil registration number (CPR number) in the work permit (PhD students and guest PhD students) with a chip in their passport must wait 24 hours after the CPR registration before they can set up MitID in the app.
- Citizens without a chip in their passport or where the scan of the passport fails cannot use the MitID app and must therefore seek help from the Citizen Service to get a MitID. They must book an appointment with Citizen Service in their municipality, and bring documentation and a witness.
Important links:
When you need your Citizen Service Centre to assist you with MitID