Documento Nacional de Identidad or DNI
(which means ''National Identity Document''
) is the main
identity document for
Argentine citizens, as well as temporary or permanent resident
aliens
Alien primarily refers to:
* Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country
** Enemy alien, the above in times of war
* Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth
** Specifically, intelligent extrate ...
(DNI Extranjero). It is issued at a person's birth, and must be updated at 8 and 14 years of age, and thereafter every 15 years. It takes the form of a card (''DNI tarjeta''), and is required for
voting
Voting is a method by which a group, such as a meeting or an electorate, can engage for the purpose of making a collective decision or expressing an opinion usually following discussions, debates or election campaigns. Democracies elect holde ...
,
payments
A payment is the voluntary tender of money or its equivalent or of things of value by one party (such as a person or company) to another in exchange for goods, or services provided by them, or to fulfill a legal obligation. The party making the ...
,
military service
Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, air forces, and naval forces, whether as a chosen job (volunteer) or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription).
Some nations (e.g., Mexico) require a ...
inscriptions and formalities. They are issued by the National Registry of Persons (RENAPER).
The front side of the card states, in both English and Spanish, the name, sex, nationality, specimen issue, date of birth, date of issue, date of expiry, and transaction number along with the DNI number, portrait, and signature of the card's bearer. The back side of the card shows the address of the card's bearer along with their right
thumbprint
A fingerprint is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. The recovery of partial fingerprints from a crime scene is an important method of forensic science. Moisture and grease on a finger result in fingerprints on surfac ...
. The front side of the card also shows a
PDF417 barcode while the back shows
machine-readable information. The unique DNI number is semi-perforated through the front-right side of the card.
The DNI is a valid international travel document to enter the member countries of Mercosur (Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela) and countries associated to the bloc (Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru).
History
Before the introduction of the DNI in 1968, women had a ''Libreta cívica'' ("civic booklet"); men a ''Libreta de enrolamiento'' ("(military) enrollment booklet"). For many years, the DNI was issued as a small green booklet (called ''libreta''). In 2009, the DNI was revamped and digitalized; and booklets (now blue) were issued along with an identity card simultaneously. Since 2012, DNIs are issued only in card format. The new DNI card is required to obtain the new
biometric
Biometrics are body measurements and calculations related to human characteristics. Biometric authentication (or realistic authentication) is used in computer science as a form of identification and access control. It is also used to identify in ...
Argentine passport
Argentine passports are issued to citizens of Argentina by the National Registry for People (ReNaPer). They were issued exclusively by the Argentine Federal Police up to 2011. Their primary use is to facilitate international travel.
Argentine pa ...
. Foreigners can get it at “RadEx” system but "extranjero" (foreigner) is printed on the back side. Argentines can get a certificado de matrícula, which is only for citizens, in consulates.
In 2020, the DNI card was restyled to show the new
bicontinental official map of Argentina.
On 20 July 2021, President
Alberto Fernández
Alberto Ángel Fernández (; born 2 April 1959) is an Argentine politician, lawyer and professor, serving as president of Argentina since 2019.
Born in Buenos Aires, Fernández attended the University of Buenos Aires, where he earned his law ...
signed a decree (Decreto 476/2021) mandating the RENAPER to allow a third gender option on all DNI cards and
passports
A passport is an official travel document issued by a government that contains a person's identity. A person with a passport can travel to and from foreign countries more easily and access consular assistance. A passport certifies the personal ...
, marked as an "X". The measure applies to non-citizen permanent residents who possess Argentine identity cards as well. In compliance with the 2012 Gender Identity Law, this made Argentina the first country in South America to legally recognize non-binary gender on all official documentation, freely and upon the person's request.
Gallery
File:DNIArg-anv-wikipedia.jpg, Front side of previous version of DNI card, issued 2012-2020
File:DNIArg-rev-wikipedia.jpg, Back side of previous version of DNI card, issued 2012-2020
File:Dni tarjeta A.jpg, Front side of previous version of DNI card, issued 2009-2012
File:Portada dni.jpg, DNI blue booklet, issued 2009-2012
File:Dniargentino.jpg, Previous green ''libreta'' version of the DNI, issued 1968-2009, until the new DNI cards began to be issued
File:Argentine DNI Issued for a temporary foreigner specimen.png, Current resident DNI specimen for a temporary foreigner.
See also
*
Argentine nationality law
Argentine nationality law regulates the manner in which one acquires, or is eligible to acquire, Argentine nationality. Nationality, as used in international law, describes the legal methods by which a person obtains a national identity and forma ...
*
Visa requirements for Argentine citizens
Visa requirements for Argentine nationality law, Argentine citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Argentina.
As of 11 January 2022, Argentine nationality law, Argentine citizens h ...
*
Visa policy of Argentina
Visitors to Argentina must obtain a visa from one of the Argentinian diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.
Visa policy map
Visa exemption
Holders of ordinary passports of the following jurisdictions ca ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Documento Nacional De Identidad (Argentina)
Government of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
Law of Argentina