ID Number (Argentina)
An ID number (Spanish: número de documento), also known as a document number, is the unique identifier assigned to an Argentine Argentine identity card (DNI) or an Argentine passport. It is used to identify the document holder in government records and is one of the principal personal identifiers used in Argentina. For Argentine citizens and permanent residents, the DNI number is assigned by the National Registry of Persons (RENAPER) and generally remains unchanged throughout the holder's lifetime. The same number appears on the physical DNI card and is used in numerous public and private administrative procedures. Passport booklets issued by Argentina also carry a unique passport number distinct from the holder's DNI number.[1]
Structure
Document number
The Argentine document number or DNI number consists of a sequential numeric identifier assigned by the National Registry of Persons (RENAPER). Historically, lower numbers generally correspond to older registrations, although numbering is not a reliable indicator of age because numbers have also been assigned to naturalized citizens and to individuals registered under special administrative procedures. The document number is printed on the front of the identity card and is also encoded in the card's machine-readable and electronic features.
Passport number
Argentine passports carry an independent passport number. This number identifies the passport booklet itself rather than the passport holder and changes whenever a new passport is issued. It appears on the identity page and in the machine-readable zone (MRZ), together with check digits calculated according to the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).[2]
Use
The document number serves as one of the primary personal identifiers in Argentina. It is widely used by government agencies, financial institutions, employers, educational institutions, and healthcare providers for identification and record-keeping. The number is commonly required for:
- voting;
- tax administration;
- banking;
- social security;
- healthcare;
- employment;
- property registration; and
- judicial proceedings.
Many public and private databases use the document number as the primary key linking records relating to an individual.
Security
Unlike the document number of the passport booklet, the DNI number is intended to remain constant throughout an individual's lifetime and is therefore widely known. For this reason, possession of a person's DNI number alone is not considered sufficient proof of identity. Identity verification generally requires additional personal information, presentation of the physical document, biometric verification, or authentication through government-operated digital identity systems.