<Table> <Tr> <Th colspan="2"> National Identity Card </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Date first issued </Th> <Td> 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 ) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Issued by </Th> <Td> Sri Lanka </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Valid in </Th> <Td> Sri Lanka </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Type of document </Th> <Td> Identity card </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Purpose </Th> <Td> Identification </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Eligibility requirements </Th> <Td> Sri Lankan citizenship , 16 years of age or above </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Expiration </Th> <Td> N / A </Td> </Tr> </Table>
when did the issuing of the national identity card began in sri lanka
14 September 1972