Home Secretary Alan Johnson will reveal the design of the card - which is to be issued to members of the public for the first time later this year.
Anyone living in Greater Manchester will be able to apply for a card by the end of 2009, and anyone living in the North West from early next year.
Ministers plan to launch the scheme across the UK in 2011 or 2012.
They say it will provide a way of easily and safely proving identity, and help crack down on identity fraud, crime and terrorism.
