Question: when did the issuing of the national identity card began in sri lanka
Answer: National Identity Card Date first issued 14 September 1972 ( first ID card ) 28 February 2014 ( fully printed and bilingual ID cards ) 1 January 2016 ( ID cards with 12 - digit NIC number ) 1 September 2017 ( with Holder 's ICAO standard digital picture ) 27 October 2017 ( new Smart ID card ) Issued by Sri Lanka Valid in Sri Lanka Type of document Identity card Purpose Identification Eligibility requirements Sri Lankan citizenship , 16 years of age or above Expiration N / A