<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-03-009547
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030516
<FILING-DATE>20030602
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>OUSLEY JAMES E
<CIK>0001200933
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-50223
<FILM-NUMBER>03727818
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>18630 TEXAS AVE
<CITY>PRIOR LAKE
<STATE>MN
<ZIP>55372
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<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>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd10121.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-05-16</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001183941</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ACTIVCARD CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>(ACTI)</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001200933</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>OUSLEY JAMES E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector>
<isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle></officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-16</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>1500</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>1.25</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>1500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-16</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>3750</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>5.75</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>5250</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock Warrant (right to buy)</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>1.25</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-16</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>1500</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2002-12-11</value></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2003-12-11</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>1500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock Warrant (right to buy)</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>5.75</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-16</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>3750</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2002-06-04</value></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2003-06-04</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>3750</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Stephen C. Ferruolo, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-05-30</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


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