Colombian digital ID to be used as passport across South America

Colombian citizens in possession of the Cedula digital ID will be able to use the document as a passport to travel to a number of countries in South America.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by the National Civil Status Registry (Registraduria Nacional del Estado Civil) on Twitter.

In a video posted by the Registry, the National Director of Identification Didier Chilito explains that an updated version of Colombia’s digital ID will now act as a passport for people traveling to Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

“This new identity document complies with high international standards, including that of the International Civil Aviation Organization, and contains all the data and characteristics required by this international organization,” the official says.

To obtain the digital ID card, citizens will have to head to the National Registry’s website and follow the steps detailed here. The document also describes how to access and present the digital ID using mobile devices such as smartphones.

According to Chilito, there are currently more than 1,186 offices available nationwide to process digital ID applications.

“Soon we will also have this service for Colombians abroad,” Chilito adds in the video.

The announcement comes months after the National Civil Status Registry said it would deploy Thales’ fingerprint scanners for better management of biometric enrollments and fraud prevention.

More recently, Colombia’s state-owned weapons manufacturer Indumil selected Tech5 for more accurate and secure biometric identification to remodel the issuance of permits for those purchasing arms in the country.

Meanwhile in Europe, Finland is hoping to begin piloting credential-free cross-border travel within the EU for the first time.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  border security  |  Colombia  |  digital ID  |  identity document  |  South America