diff --git a/melib/Cargo.toml b/melib/Cargo.toml
index ca42fdf7..5c0904c2 100644
--- a/melib/Cargo.toml
+++ b/melib/Cargo.toml
@@ -27,10 +27,11 @@ text_processing = { path = "../text_processing", version = "*", optional= true }
 libc = {version = "0.2.59", features = ["extra_traits",]}
 
 [features]
-default = ["unicode_algorithms", "imap_backend", "maildir_backend", "mbox_backend"]
+default = ["unicode_algorithms", "imap_backend", "maildir_backend", "mbox_backend", "vcard"]
 
 debug-tracing = []
 unicode_algorithms = ["text_processing"]
 imap_backend = ["native-tls"]
 maildir_backend = ["notify", "notify-rust", "memmap"]
 mbox_backend = ["notify", "notify-rust", "memmap"]
+vcard = []
diff --git a/melib/src/addressbook.rs b/melib/src/addressbook.rs
index 72076be2..ed0710a9 100644
--- a/melib/src/addressbook.rs
+++ b/melib/src/addressbook.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
  * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
  * along with meli. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
+
+#[cfg(feature = "vcard")]
+pub mod vcard;
+
 use chrono::{DateTime, Local};
 use fnv::FnvHashMap;
 use uuid::Uuid;
diff --git a/melib/src/addressbook/vcard.rs b/melib/src/addressbook/vcard.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f23a1f37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/melib/src/addressbook/vcard.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,200 @@
+/*
+ * meli - addressbook module
+ *
+ * Copyright 2019 Manos Pitsidianakis
+ *
+ * This file is part of meli.
+ *
+ * meli is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * meli is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with meli. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+/// Convert VCard strings to meli Cards (contacts).
+use super::Card;
+use crate::chrono::TimeZone;
+use crate::error::{MeliError, Result};
+use fnv::FnvHashMap;
+
+/* Supported vcard versions */
+pub trait VCardVersion {}
+
+/// https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6350
+pub struct VCardVersion4;
+impl VCardVersion for VCardVersion4 {}
+
+/// https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2426
+pub struct VCardVersion3;
+impl VCardVersion for VCardVersion3 {}
+
+pub struct CardDeserializer;
+
+static HEADER: &'static str = "BEGIN:VCARD\r\nVERSION:4.0\r\n";
+static FOOTER: &'static str = "END:VCARD\r\n";
+
+pub struct VCard<T: VCardVersion>(
+    fnv::FnvHashMap<String, ContentLine>,
+    std::marker::PhantomData<*const T>,
+);
+
+impl<V: VCardVersion> VCard<V> {
+    pub fn new_v4() -> VCard<impl VCardVersion> {
+        VCard(
+            FnvHashMap::default(),
+            std::marker::PhantomData::<*const VCardVersion4>,
+        )
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Clone)]
+pub struct ContentLine {
+    group: Option<String>,
+    params: Vec<String>,
+    value: String,
+}
+
+impl CardDeserializer {
+    pub fn from_str(mut input: &str) -> Result<VCard<impl VCardVersion>> {
+        input = if !input.starts_with(HEADER) || !input.ends_with(FOOTER) {
+            return Err(MeliError::new(format!("Error while parsing vcard: input does not start or end with correct header and footer. input is:\n{}", input)));
+        } else {
+            &input[HEADER.len()..input.len() - FOOTER.len()]
+        };
+
+        let mut ret = FnvHashMap::default();
+
+        enum Stage {
+            Group,
+            Name,
+            Param,
+            Value,
+        }
+        let mut stage: Stage;
+
+        for l in input.lines() {
+            let mut el = ContentLine::default();
+            let mut value_start = 0;
+            let mut has_colon = false;
+            stage = Stage::Group;
+            let mut name = String::new();
+            for i in 0..l.len() {
+                let byte = l.as_bytes()[i];
+                match (byte, &stage) {
+                    (b'.', Stage::Group) if l.as_bytes()[i] != b'\\' => {
+                        el.group = Some(l[value_start..i].to_string());
+                        value_start = i + 1;
+                        stage = Stage::Name;
+                    }
+                    (b';', Stage::Group) => {
+                        name = l[value_start..i].to_string();
+                        value_start = i + 1;
+                        stage = Stage::Param;
+                    }
+                    (b';', Stage::Param) => {
+                        el.params.push(l[value_start..i].to_string());
+                        value_start = i + 1;
+                    }
+                    (b':', Stage::Group) | (b':', Stage::Name) => {
+                        name = l[value_start..i].to_string();
+                        has_colon = true;
+                        value_start = i + 1;
+                        stage = Stage::Value;
+                    }
+                    (b':', Stage::Param) if l.as_bytes()[i] != b'\\' => {
+                        el.params.push(l[value_start..i].to_string());
+                        has_colon = true;
+                        value_start = i + 1;
+                        stage = Stage::Value;
+                    }
+                    _ => {}
+                }
+            }
+            el.value = l[value_start..].to_string();
+            if !has_colon {
+                return Err(MeliError::new(format!(
+                    "Error while parsing vcard: error at line {}, no colon. {:?}",
+                    l, el
+                )));
+            }
+            if name.is_empty() {
+                return Err(MeliError::new(format!(
+                    "Error while parsing vcard: error at line {}, no name for content line. {:?}",
+                    l, el
+                )));
+            }
+            ret.insert(name, el);
+        }
+        Ok(VCard(ret, std::marker::PhantomData::<*const VCardVersion4>))
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::convert::TryInto<Card> for VCard<VCardVersion4> {
+    type Error = crate::error::MeliError;
+
+    fn try_into(mut self) -> crate::error::Result<Card> {
+        let mut card = Card::new();
+        if let Some(val) = self.0.remove("FN") {
+            card.set_name(val.value);
+        } else {
+            return Err(MeliError::new("FN entry missing in VCard."));
+        }
+        if let Some(val) = self.0.remove("NICKNAME") {
+            card.set_additionalname(val.value);
+        }
+        if let Some(val) = self.0.remove("BDAY") {
+            /* 4.3.4.  DATE-AND-OR-TIME
+
+            Either a DATE-TIME, a DATE, or a TIME value.  To allow unambiguous
+            interpretation, a stand-alone TIME value is always preceded by a "T".
+
+            Examples for "date-and-or-time":
+
+                      19961022T140000
+                      --1022T1400
+                      ---22T14
+                      19850412
+                      1985-04
+                      1985
+                      --0412
+                      ---12
+                      T102200
+                      T1022
+                      T10
+                      T-2200
+                      T--00
+                      T102200Z
+                      T102200-0800
+                      */
+            card.birthday = chrono::Local.datetime_from_str(&val.value, "%Y%m%d").ok();
+        }
+        if let Some(val) = self.0.remove("EMAIL") {
+            card.set_email(val.value);
+        }
+        if let Some(val) = self.0.remove("URL") {
+            card.set_url(val.value);
+        }
+        if let Some(val) = self.0.remove("KEY") {
+            card.set_key(val.value);
+        }
+        for (k, v) in self.0.into_iter() {
+            card.set_extra_property(&k, v.value);
+        }
+
+        Ok(card)
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_card() {
+    let j = "BEGIN:VCARD\r\nVERSION:4.0\r\nN:Gump;Forrest;;Mr.;\r\nFN:Forrest Gump\r\nORG:Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.\r\nTITLE:Shrimp Man\r\nPHOTO;MEDIATYPE=image/gif:http://www.example.com/dir_photos/my_photo.gif\r\nTEL;TYPE=work,voice;VALUE=uri:tel:+1-111-555-1212\r\nTEL;TYPE=home,voice;VALUE=uri:tel:+1-404-555-1212\r\nADR;TYPE=WORK;PREF=1;LABEL=\"100 Waters Edge\\nBaytown\\, LA 30314\\nUnited States of America\":;;100 Waters Edge;Baytown;LA;30314;United States of America\r\nADR;TYPE=HOME;LABEL=\"42 Plantation St.\\nBaytown\\, LA 30314\\nUnited States of America\":;;42 Plantation St.;Baytown;LA;30314;United States of America\r\nEMAIL:forrestgump@example.com\r\nREV:20080424T195243Z\r\nx-qq:21588891\r\nEND:VCARD\r\n";
+    println!("results = {:#?}", CardDeserializer::from_str(j).unwrap());
+}