The Matrícula Consular de Alta Seguridad (MCAS; English: High Security Consular Registration, HSCR), also known as the Mexican Consular Identification Card (Mexican CID Card; Spanish: Tarjeta de Identificación Consular Mexicana, TICM), is an
identification card
An identity document (abbreviated as ID) is a document proving a person's identity.
If the identity document is a plastic card it is called an ''identity card'' (abbreviated as ''IC'' or ''ID card''). When the identity document incorporates a ...
issued by the
Government of Mexico
The Federal government of Mexico (alternately known as the Government of the Republic or ' or ') is the national government of the Mexico, United Mexican States, the central government established by its constitution to share sovereignty over the ...
through its
consulate offices to Mexican nationals residing outside of Mexico.
[
] Also known as the Mexican
CID card, it has been issued since 1871.
[
] The issue of the card has no bearing on immigration status in the foreign country they are residing in.
[
] The purpose of the card is to demonstrate that the bearer is a Mexican national living outside of
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
. It includes a Government of Mexico issued ID number and bears a photograph and address outside of Mexico of the Mexican national to whom it is issued.
Use in the United States
Several states, municipalities, and businesses in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
accept the Matrícula Consular (English: Consular Registration) as an official form of identification.
Two million Mexican CIDs were issued in 2002–2003. A number of countries have followed suit including
Guatemala
Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...
,
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, and
Ecuador
Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...
. Other countries are considering the program, including:
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
,
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
,
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...
,
Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
, and
Peru
Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
.
[
] Peru has specifically cited "the acceptance of the Mexican CID card in the United States as a factor contributing to its interest in issuing a CID card."
The
Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations is an international treaty that defines a framework for consulate, consular International relations, relations between sovereign states. It codifies many consular practices that originated from Customar ...
defines consular functions to include issuing passports and travel documents, and the
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy of the United State ...
accepts that the issuing of CID cards is a permissible consular function.
On September 14, 2004, the
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
voted down a motion to prevent financial institutions from accepting consular IDs. Representative
Tom Price announced that the Committee on Financial Services would be convening hearings on the methods permitted by the
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the Treasury, national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States. It is one of 15 current United States federal executive departments, U.S. government departments.
...
applying to the use of the Matricula Consular by banking institutions for the purposes of verification of identity.
The
FDIC says "about $18 billion is wired annually from the U.S. to Mexico. Many U.S. banks have welcomed the IDs as a way to get a cut of this activity by profiting from the handling charges on the wires and increased deposits."
Security issues
Former New Jersey Representative
Scott Garrett (R) stated that the use of MCAS (Matrícula Consular de Alta Seguridad) cards by undocumented immigrants weakens the measures established by the U.S. Congress after "9/11 to safeguard American businesses and financial institutions against fraud and abuse".
U.S. law enforcement officials also cite that Matrícula Consular cards are issued by Mexican Consulate without checking the authenticity of the applicant's supporting documentation. In testimony to the
Senate Judiciary Committee
The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, informally known as the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a Standing committee (United States Congress), standing committee of 22 U.S. senators whose role is to oversee the United States Departm ...
on June 26, 2003, the
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
(FBI) disclosed and reported that the Matricula Consular card is inherently unreliable and unverifiable as an identification card and is highly vulnerable to fraud, regardless of its security features.
[FBI Testimony Before Congress]
(archived fro
on 2010-04-10) The FBI reported that because Mexico lacks a centralized database for their CIDs, they are unable to prevent an individual from receiving multiple CIDs and cannot access information about a CID applicant's identity.
An FBI agent said that "Mexican consulates issued CID cards to individuals lacking any proof of identification, as long as they fill out a questionnaire and satisfy the consular official that they are who they claim to be."
U.S. federal and local drug enforcement agents have discovered that numerous non-citizen narcotics traffickers obtain Matricula Consular cards using aliases and that their use in the United States presents the United States with a serious criminal threat.
[
In a 2003 letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security ]Tom Ridge
Thomas Joseph Ridge (born August 26, 1945) is an American politician and author who served in the Presidency of George W. Bush, George W. Bush administration as the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security from 2001 to 2003 and as the U ...
by the U.S. House Chairmen of the Homeland Security Committee, the Judiciary Committee, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, & Intellectual Property, it was written that the Matricula Consular "can be a perfect breeder document for establishing a false identity". They warned that criminals could exploit the cards to conceal their identity as well as launder money and write fraudulent checks. They went on to point out that any acceptance of the cards by the Federal Government "compromises our homeland security" by providing an opportunity for terrorists to freely move about the United States, board planes and transfer funds for terrorist activities.
In January 2003, Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia Pelosi ( ; ; born March 26, 1940) is an American politician who was the List of Speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 2007 to 2011 an ...
, the ranking Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
, pushed for a trial arrangement to give holders of Matricula Consular cards access to the Phillip Burton Federal Building
The Phillip Burton Federal Building & United States Courthouse is a massive 21-Storey, floor, federal office building located at 450 Golden Gate Avenue near San Francisco, California, San Francisco's Civic Center (San Francisco), Civic Center and ...
in San Francisco.[
] Due to national security concerns, other members of Congress later revoked the privilege by the summer of 2003. In response to this, Pelosi argued that the vote to restrict the use of the Matrícula Consular was "anti-Hispanic" and that "We in San Francisco know that the Matrícula Consular works".[
] The Matricula Consular card has been embraced by the Democratic Caucus. The Mayor of San Francisco established a policy in December 2001 for the city and county of San Francisco to accept the Mexican CID as a valid form of ID. The mayor's office issued a press release stating that the card would prevent those in the Mexican immigrant community lacking an acceptable identification from being jailed or deported when committing minor offenses.
The United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and producti ...
warned that the Matricula Consular card is not sufficient to determine legal immigration status nor eligibility for the U.S. Food Stamp Program
In the United States, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a Federal government of the United States, federal government program that provides food-purchasing assistance for Poverty ...
. The department also advised that home addresses on these cards may not be current "given the potential mobility of this population".
Bank on California, a program launched by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...
in December 2008, encourages financial institutions to accept the Mexican CID, Guatemalan CID and other CID cards as primary identification for opening bank accounts.[
]
The Center for Immigration Studies, a conservative research organization, argued in a research brief that the Matricula is becoming a shield that hides criminal activity for two reasons: first, the holder's identity was not verified when the card was issued, and second, police in jurisdictions that accept the Matricula are less likely to run background checks on card holders picked up for minor infractions. The organization claimed that the Matricula consular is useful in the United States only for the undocumented, since legal immigrants, have U.S. government-issued documents, and that the objective the card's supporters is to achieve quasi-legal status for "Mexican illegals in the United States".
Anti-immigration activists also claimed the Federal Government of Mexico
The Federal government of Mexico (alternately known as the Government of the Republic or ' or ') is the national government of the Mexico, United Mexican States, the central government established by its constitution to share sovereignty over the ...
responded to the September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
by aggressively lobbying for the ID.[
]
Mexican Consular Identification Card
The Mexican Consular Identification Card (CID; Spanish: ''Tarjeta de Identificación Consular Mexicana'', TICM), also referred to as the ''Matrícula Consular de Alta Seguridad'' (MCAS; English: High Security Consular Registration), is an official document issued by Mexican consulates. It certifies the bearer's Mexican nationality and registration within the consular district. The card is issued in accordance with Mexican law and international agreements, including the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations is an international treaty that defines a framework for consulate, consular International relations, relations between sovereign states. It codifies many consular practices that originated from Customar ...
of 1963.
Mexican consulates have historically provided these identification cards to nationals residing abroad, regardless of their immigration status. More than 180 countries, including the United States and Mexico, have ratified the Vienna Convention, which recognizes consular functions such as issuing documents and protecting nationals abroad.
Legal Basis
Article 5(d) of the Vienna Convention identifies the issuance of passports and official documents to nationals as a core consular function. Subsections (g) and (h) outline the responsibility of consulates to safeguard the interests of minors and deceased nationals. Consular ID cards fall within these functions.
Requirements
To obtain a Mexican Consular ID card, individuals must present:
* Proof of Mexican nationality;
* An official photo identification;
* Proof of residence within the consular district.
The card cannot be issued to individuals undergoing judicial or administrative processes in Mexico.
Background
The MCAS was introduced in 2002. In 2006, its security features were enhanced to include biometrics, 2D barcodes, and internationally recognized safeguards.
In 2014, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a new version of the card with advanced security measures such as:
* Guilloché patterns;
* Laser-engraved elements;
* Ghost images and ultraviolet features;
* 2D barcodes;
* Pearlescent ink;
* Microtext and nanotext;
* Holographic laminates;
* A cryptographic chip containing encrypted data.
Use and Recognition in the United States
The CID card is accepted as valid identification by financial institutions, law enforcement agencies, and government entities in both Mexico and the United States. In Arizona, where individuals of Mexican origin make up over half of the state’s foreign-born population, the card has been used to open bank accounts, access credit, and participate in legal and financial transactions.
Legal History in Arizona
In 2011, Arizona Senate Bill SB1465 prohibited state and local agencies from recognizing the CID card, citing security concerns.
In 2015, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey
Douglas Anthony Ducey ( ; ; born April 9, 1964) is an American businessman and Republican Party (United States), Republican politician who served as the 23rd List of governors of Arizona, governor of Arizona from 2015 to 2023 and as State Treas ...
issued a proclamation acknowledging Mexico as the state’s largest trading partner and encouraged the legislature to reconsider the ban. Starting in 2019, Consul General Jorge Mendoza Yescas led outreach efforts with local leaders, including mayors, sheriffs, and legislators, to advocate for the card’s acceptance.
In 2020, state lawmakers Rep. Tony Rivero, Rep. David Cook, and Sen. Paul Boyer introduced SB1420, aimed at restoring the legal recognition of biometric consular ID cards. The bill was approved by the Arizona legislature and signed into law by Governor Ducey on March 5, 2021.[https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2021/03/05/gov-ducey-signs-consular-id-bill-into-law/4600006001/]
Consular Presence in Arizona
Mexico’s consular network in Arizona includes two Consulates General (Phoenix and Nogales) and three Consulates (Douglas, Tucson, and Yuma).
See also
* Unique Population Registry Code
The Clave Única de Registro de Población (translated into English as Unique Population Registry Code or else as Personal ID Code Number) (abbreviated CURP) is a unique identity code for both citizens and residents of Mexico. Each CURP code is a ...
(CURP)
* Federal Taxpayer Registry (RFC)
* Mexican passport
* Voting Credential
The Voting Credential (Spanish: ''Credencial para Votar''), also known as Elector Credential (Spanish: ''Credencial de Elector''), INE Card (Spanish: ''Tarjeta INE''; formerly IFE Card, Spanish: ''Tarjeta IFE''), and Mexican Voter ID Card (Spanis ...
* Driving licence in Mexico
References
Arizona SB1465 – 2011
2015 Proclamation – Governor Doug Ducey
AZ Central – SB1420 Signed into Law (2021)
External links
Matrícula Consular de Alta Seguridad
at gob.mx
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matricula Consular
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
Foreign relations of Mexico
Identity documents of Mexico