Every citizen age of 15 and above, whether resident or not, needs to apply for such a card, which bears their unique national identity number, given name, surname, birth date, and postal code.

[1][2] The Iranian authorities initially advertised this card as a means of secure participation in elections that guarantees voting integrity.

[7] The photo in ID is a black and white laserprinted image, and is often subject of criticism for being soulless and unlifelike.

After the United States withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action during the Trump presidency and US sanctions against Iran, the shortage halted the program halfway, causing the replacement national scheme to be a failure.

[10][11] Iranian citizens preregister on national identity card website and receive a tracking code.