The identity cards, valid for 10 years, are issued by the local préfecture or town hall and have a fee cost of €1. The card contains a chip which holds the data printed on it. The National Register duplicates the information of the card, which is available only to judges in closely defined circumstances. The card are used to verify identity and nationality and may be used to travel within the European Union, Switzerland and many other countries instead of using a passport. The cards are widely used for other purposes like when opening a bank account, or when making a payment by cheque. __TOC__