Method for the secure identification of a person using an identification card by a verification instance to a service provider, in which - a secure, one-way authenticated communication link is established between the identification card and the service provider, and a secure, two-way authenticated communication link is established between the service provider and the verification instance, - the communication between the identification card and the verification instance is carried out exclusively via the service provider as a proxy, which intercepts all messages exchanged between the identification card and the verification instance and forwards them with its own identifier so that a logical communication channel is created between the identification card and the verification instance, characterized in that - a first, authenticated key agreement for encrypted communication between the verification instance and the identification card is implemented via the logical communication channel, - the validity of the identification card is verified by the verification instance, encrypted using the first key material via the logical communication channel, - a second, authenticated key agreement is implemented between the service provider and the identification card for the encryption and authentication of required identification data and/or the results of card operations, - the required identification data is encrypted with the second key material by the identification card and transmitted encrypted with the first key material via the logical communication channel to the verification instance, - the verification instance transmits the identification data encrypted with the second key material to the service provider and confirms to it that the identification data contained in the transmission originates from an identification card successfully validated by the verification instance, and - the service provider decrypts the identification data transmitted by the verification instance using the second key material. - a secure, one-way authenticated communication link is established between the identification card and the service provider, and a secure, two-way authenticated communication link is established between the service provider and the verification instance, - the communication between the identification card and the verification instance is carried out exclusively via the service provider as a proxy, which intercepts all messages exchanged between the identification card and the verification instance and forwards them with its own identifier so that a logical communication channel is created between the identification card and the verification instance, - a first, authenticated key agreement for encrypted communication between the verification instance and the identification card is implemented via the logical communication channel, - the validity of the identification card is verified by the verification instance, encrypted using the first key material via the logical communication channel, - a second, authenticated key agreement is implemented between the service provider and the identification card for the encryption and authentication of required identification data and/or the results of card operations, - the required identification data is encrypted with the second key material by the identification card and transmitted encrypted with the first key material via the logical communication channel to the verification instance, - the verification instance transmits the identification data encrypted with the second key material to the service provider and confirms to it that the identification data contained in the transmission originates from an identification card successfully validated by the verification instance, and - the service provider decrypts the identification data transmitted by the verification instance using the second key material.