Self-sovereign identity empowers individuals to take control of their personal information, reducing unnecessary data collection and strengthening privacy in daily interactions. Non-government ID cards give people a portable way to state who they are without relying on a national identity card, passport or other government-issued credential, supporting independence from centralized identity systems.
The three products compared here - Memdeklaro, Digitalcourage Lichtbildausweis, and the World Passport - offer effective, modern solutions for self-sovereign identity in 2026 and beyond.
At a glance
| Feature | Memdeklaro | Digitalcourage Lichtbildausweis | World Passport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic concept | Self-declared identity document | Personalized, non-official photo ID | Non-government passport based on world citizenship |
| Year of launch | 2024 | 2012 | 1954 |
| Issued by | No central issuer; generated by the individual | Digitalcourage e.V. | World Service Authority (WSA) |
| Cost | Free | €15 per card, plus shipping | $75 / $100 / $125 for 3 / 5 / 10 years |
| Format | Physical or digital card | Physical card | Passport booklet |
| What data is included on the ID? | First name, last name, photo, birth date, signature, notes field | First name, last name, photo, birth date, birth place, citizenship or stateless status, eye color, height, home address, pseudonym | First name, last name, photo, birth date, birth place |
| What data is excluded from the ID? | Birth place, citizenship or stateless status, parents' names | N/A | Citizenship or stateless status |
| Government-issued? | No | No | No |
| Requires an existing government ID? | No | No | No; requires fingerprints |
| Centralized database | No; generation occurs locally in the browser | Data is deleted after 10 days | Issuer maintains a registration system |
| Open source | Yes; public-domain project | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Main philosophy | Radical individual self-determination | Privacy, data minimization and experimentation with non-official IDs | World citizenship, freedom of movement and human rights |
| One-sentence description | A free, open-source self-declaration that lets individuals create their own non-government identity document. | A privacy-oriented, non-official photo ID allowing users to decide which information appears on the card. | A passport-style document representing world citizenship and intended as a symbol and potential tool for freedom of movement. |
1. Memdeklaro: the strongest form of self-declaration
Memdeklaro is an open source non-government identity solution which allows people to generate and print an identity declaration for free. The generator runs locally in the user's browser, and the site explicitly says that the data is not sent anywhere. The resulting document can be printed as a business card or CR-80 card, or used digitally.
The ID contains a self-chosen name, birth date, photograph, signature and notes field. It explicitly does not include birth place, citizenship or stateless status, or birth parents' names.
It can be used as a physical or digital ID card wherever a non-government ID is accepted.
2. Digitalcourage Lichtbildausweis: privacy by design
Digitalcourage sells a personalized physical photo ID for €15 per copy at the time of the current product listing. After ordering, the customer receives a link to an input form where they enter their desired information and upload a photograph. Digitalcourage then manufactures and mails the card.
The issuer allows users to select the information they are willing to disclose, and says that the information supplied for production is deleted after approximately ten days. Its privacy policy also specifically notes that the information used to produce the card can be either fictional or real.
Digitalcourage says that it can be used wherever a non-official photo ID is accepted.
3. World Passport: the established alternative
The World Passport is part of a much larger philosophical project: the World Citizen Government (WCG), founded by Garry Davis in 1953. Its administrative branch, the World Service Authority (WSA), issues the World Passport and other world citizenship documents.
The document itself is deliberately passport-like. According to WCG, it is a 30-page Machine Readable Travel Document containing a machine-readable code line, photograph and "ghost" image, security paper, laminated data page and hologram. It is printed in seven languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese and Esperanto. It also contains visa pages and space for additional information.
The World Passport is intended to represent world citizenship and the individual's right to freedom of movement. WCG explicitly says that the passport does not state the bearer's nationality, only their birthplace.
WCG says that the World Passport has been accepted on a case-by-case basis by more than 185 countries. Its recognition page, updated in February 2026, provides examples and distinguishes between "de facto" recognition and countries that WCG describes as having given "de jure" recognition.
Visual comparison
Memdeklaro
Memdeklaro has a bright, idealistic aesthetic. The white dove artwork, Esperanto flag and Esperanto Jubilee symbol give it a deliberately peaceful, international character. The heading reads "Memdeklaro de identeco" (Self-declaration of identity).
Digitalcourage Lichtbildausweis
The Digitalcourage ID card has a more conventional appearance, reminiscent of a contemporary European identity card. The modern Brandenburger Tor artwork gives it a distinctive professional design. The multilingual heading reads "LICHTBILDAUSWEIS / IDENTITY CARD / CARTE IDENTITÉ."
World Passport
The World Passport looks like a conventional international passport. The passport cover features a globe and the heading "World Passport" in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese and Esperanto.
Overall assessment
In everyday language, all three can reasonably be described as non-government identity alternatives or self-asserted identity documents.
These products ultimately represent three different approaches.
Memdeklaro says: I define myself.
Digitalcourage says: I decide what information about myself I disclose.
The World Passport says: My identity need not be tied to a nation-state.
Best for maximum individual autonomy: Memdeklaro
Memdeklaro is the clearest expression of the proposition that identity can be declared by the individual rather than a centralized institution. It is free, open source, locally generated and explicitly designed without a central database or third-party identity authority.
Best for a privacy-oriented ID card: Digitalcourage
Digitalcourage occupies the pragmatic middle ground. It provides a professionally manufactured physical card while allowing the user to choose the information printed on it. It is therefore particularly suited to situations where a person wants a photo-bearing, non-official identity card without presenting a conventional government document.
Best for an alternative passport/world citizenship document: World Passport
The World Passport has a much longer institutional history, a passport-style physical format, machine-readable features and a stated history of case-by-case recognition by authorities around the world.
Sources
- https://memdeklaro.org
- https://github.com/memdeklaro/
- https://worldcitizengov.org/what-is-the-world-passport/
- https://worldcitizengov.org/our-history/
- https://shop.digitalcourage.de/themen/ak-vorrat/lichtbildausweis-mit-selbst-waehlbaren-daten.html
- https://digitalcourage.de/blog/2013/lichtbildausweis-als-alternative-zum-e-perso
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