Identity card (Argentina)

The identity card (Spanish: cédula de identidad) was an identity card issued by the Argentine Federal Police in Argentina from the early 20th century until 1 March 2011.[1] Although the Argentine identity card (Documento Nacional de Identidad, DNI) was the country's primary identity document, the identity card remained widely used for decades because of its convenient wallet-sized format. It also served as a travel document within Mercosur until 2015.

History

The Argentine Federal Police issued identity cards for much of the twentieth century as an additional means of personal identification. Although the introduction of the National Identity Card under Law No. 17,671[2] established the DNI as Argentina's principal identity document, the police-issued identity card continued to coexist with it for several decades. Possession of the identity card was voluntary. It was commonly used for identification in everyday transactions because it was smaller and more durable than the traditional booklet-format DNI. The document also served as proof of identity in many dealings with public authorities and private institutions, although certain legal acts, including voting and some banking procedures, required presentation of the DNI.

Description

The identity card consisted of a laminated plastic card conforming to the ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 standard, measuring 85.60 × 53.98 mm. The front contained the holder's photograph, full name, date of birth, marital status, Document number, and the identity card number. Earlier versions displayed the holder in a three-quarter profile, while later versions adopted a frontal photograph. The reverse contained a second photograph, the holder's right thumbprint, and a machine-readable zone following ICAO Doc 9303 standards. In later editions, the card bore the inscription Mercosur on the front.

International use

Following the establishment of Mercosur,[3] the identity card became one of the travel documents accepted for Argentine citizens entering neighboring member and associate states. Like the Argentine passport, it was issued with a validity of five years. The document remained valid for travel until 1 January 2015, when Argentina restricted international travel documents to the DNI and passport.

Discontinuation

In 2011, the Ministry of Security ordered the discontinuation of the identity card. The decision was based on the introduction of the card-format DNI, which fulfilled the same identification functions while being issued by the National Registry of Persons (Renaper). Responsibility for issuing Argentine passports was also transferred from the Argentine Federal Police to Renaper as part of the same reform. Although no new identity cards have been issued since 1 March 2011, cards that had already been issued remained valid until their expiration dates.[4][5]

Current use of the term cédula

Although the police-issued identity card has been discontinued, the term cédula continues to be used in Argentina in reference to motor vehicle registration certificates. The Cédula Verde ("Green Card") is the standard vehicle registration certificate issued to the registered owner of a motor vehicle. It serves as proof of registration and authorization to operate the vehicle. The Cédula Azul ("Blue Card") was formerly issued to individuals authorized by the registered owner to drive the vehicle. In 2024, the Argentine government abolished the Blue Card system as part of broader reforms to the National Motor Vehicle Registry, replacing it with updated digital authorization procedures. Because of these documents, the word cédula remains in common use in Argentina despite no longer referring to a personal identity document.

See also

Further reading

  • Gordillo, Gastón (2016). The Afterlife of State Terror in Argentina. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 9780812248094. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  • "Law No. 17,671 – National Human Potential Identification, Registration and Classification Act". Argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). Government of Argentina. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  • "Decree No. 261/2011". InfoLEG (in Spanish). Government of Argentina. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  • "Category:Identity cards of Argentina". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  • "Category:Cédula de Identidad (Argentina)". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 1 August 2026.

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "Reglamento de Documentos de Identidad y de Viaje de la Policía Federal Argentina". InfoLEG (in Spanish). Government of Argentina. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Law No. 17,671 – National Human Potential Identification, Registration and Classification Act". Argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). Government of Argentina. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  3. ↑ "Travel documents: Expiration of LE, LC and Identity Cards". Consulate General of Argentina in Rio de Janeiro (in Spanish). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  4. ↑ "Decree No. 261/2011". InfoLEG (in Spanish). Government of Argentina. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Bill No. 0889-D-2011". Chamber of Deputies of Argentina (in Spanish). National Congress of Argentina. Retrieved 1 August 2026.
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  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Identity cards of Argentina at Wikimedia Commons
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