diff --git a/libcacard/vcard.h b/libcacard/vcard.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..47dc703
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libcacard/vcard.h
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+/*
+ * This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU LGPL, version 2.1 or later.
+ * See the COPYING.LIB file in the top-level directory.
+ */
+#ifndef VCARD_H
+#define VCARD_H 1
+
+#include "vcardt.h"
+
+/*
+ * response buffer constructors and destructors.
+ *
+ * response buffers are used when we need to return more data than will fit in
+ * a normal APDU response (nominally 254 bytes).
+ */
+VCardBufferResponse *vcard_buffer_response_new(unsigned char *buffer, int size);
+void vcard_buffer_response_delete(VCardBufferResponse *buffer_response);
+
+
+/*
+ * clean up state on reset
+ */
+void vcard_reset(VCard *card, VCardPower power);
+
+/*
+ * applet utilities
+ */
+/*
+ * Constructor for a VCardApplet
+ */
+VCardApplet *vcard_new_applet(VCardProcessAPDU applet_process_function,
+                              VCardResetApplet applet_reset_function,
+                              unsigned char *aid, int aid_len);
+
+/*
+ * destructor for a VCardApplet
+ *  Can be called with a NULL applet
+ */
+void vcard_delete_applet(VCardApplet *applet);
+
+/* accessor - set the card type specific private data */
+void vcard_set_applet_private(VCardApplet *applet, VCardAppletPrivate *_private,
+                              VCardAppletPrivateFree private_free);
+
+/* set type of vcard */
+void vcard_set_type(VCard *card, VCardType type);
+
+/*
+ * utilities interacting with the current applet
+ */
+/* add a new applet to a card */
+VCardStatus vcard_add_applet(VCard *card, VCardApplet *applet);
+/* find the applet on the card with the given aid */
+VCardApplet *vcard_find_applet(VCard *card, unsigned char *aid, int aid_len);
+/* set the following applet to be current on the given channel */
+void vcard_select_applet(VCard *card, int channel, VCardApplet *applet);
+/* get the card type specific private data on the given channel */
+VCardAppletPrivate *vcard_get_current_applet_private(VCard *card, int channel);
+/* fetch the applet's id */
+unsigned char *vcard_applet_get_aid(VCardApplet *applet, int *aid_len);
+
+/* process the apdu for the current selected applet/file */
+VCardStatus vcard_process_applet_apdu(VCard *card, VCardAPDU *apdu,
+                                      VCardResponse **response);
+/*
+ * VCard utilities
+ */
+/* constructor */
+VCard *vcard_new(VCardEmul *_private, VCardEmulFree private_free);
+/* get a reference */
+VCard *vcard_reference(VCard *);
+/* destructor (reference counted) */
+void vcard_free(VCard *);
+/* get the atr from the card */
+void vcard_get_atr(VCard *card, unsigned char *atr, int *atr_len);
+void vcard_set_atr_func(VCard *card, VCardGetAtr vcard_get_atr);
+
+/* accessor functions for the response buffer */
+VCardBufferResponse *vcard_get_buffer_response(VCard *card);
+void vcard_set_buffer_response(VCard *card, VCardBufferResponse *buffer);
+/* accessor functions for the type */
+VCardType vcard_get_type(VCard *card);
+/* get the private data */
+VCardEmul *vcard_get_private(VCard *card);
+
+#endif