<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-03-007796
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030515
<FILING-DATE>20030516
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ACTIVCARD CORP
<CIK>0001183941
<ASSIGNED-SIC>7372
<IRS-NUMBER>450485038
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>6623 DUMBARTON CIRCLE
<CITY>FREMONT
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94555
<PHONE>5105710100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>6623 DUMBARTON CIRCLE
<CITY>FREMONT
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94555
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AUDEBERT YVES
<CIK>0001217301
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-50223
<FILM-NUMBER>03707038
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O ACTIVCARD CORP
<STREET2>6623 DUMBARTON CIRCLE
<CITY>FREMONT
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94555
<PHONE>5105740100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O ACTIVCARD CORP
<STREET2>6623 DUMBARTON CIRCLE
<CITY>FREMONT
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94555
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd8976.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-05-15</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
<issuer><issuerCik>0001183941</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ACTIVCARD CORP</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>(ACTI)</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
<rptOwnerCik>0001217301</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>AUDEBERT YVES</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>Vice Chairman, President, COO</officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>25000</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>10.58</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>298329</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Stephen C. Ferruolo, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-05-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
