Self-Sovereign Identities can transform the field of public sector authentication.
Reliable identification documents are at the core of migration or mobility management. But insufficient systems for digital identification and limited documentation are common obstacles in the administrative process. Identity data of migrants and refugees is also often shared without their knowledge or consent. Decentralized and user-centric approaches based on the principle of self-sovereign identity (SSI) can offer a way out. SSI based solutions promise to empower the individual and enhance the administrative process. In this brief, Michael Kolain explains what SSI solutions have to offer compared to conventional forms of digital identification instruments and what challenges need to be addressed to establish an SSI ecosystem. The publication is part of the "Dialogue on Tech and Migration, DoT.Mig." of the Migration Strategy Group, a joint initiative of the Robert Bosch Stiftung, the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the German Marshall Fund.