Colombia encourages national digital ID signups with bank pilot, celebrity endorsement

Colombia’s digital identity system is advancing with the National Registry Office carrying out pilots of facial authentication with several banks, El Pais reports.

Financial services customers participating in the pilots will be able to perform remote transactions through a home computer or mobile device, with their face biometrics compared to their national digital ID. The National Registry agreed to a deal at the beginning of the year which provides the basis for face biometrics to be used in remote processes, like KYC for opening a bank.

The government is ramping up the new digital ID system, which had 1.8 million registered as of March, but aims to reach 10 million by the end of 2023. The country’s banking association, Asobancaria, made clear at the time that the new facial authentication system will also be used at ATMs.

Like Colombia, the Philippines recently made its national digital ID acceptable for KYC checks and onboarding to financial services accounts. There are now 60 million PhilIDs and ePhilIDs issued.

Colombia has already extended registration and biometrics enrollment to Colombian ex-pats living in the U.S., and now offers a Digital Nomad Visa to ex-pats of other countries living in Colombia.

Travel Tomorrow reports that the Digital Nomad Visa allows foreigners to live in the country for up to 24 months, and gives them access to a state ID card so they can use local financial services or register a business.

The ‘Prince of Reggaeton’ registers for national ID

In an effort to spur more sign-ups, the National Registry has tweeted a video of J Balvin, a singer and record producer known in some quarters as the ‘Prince of Reggaeton,’ enrolling his fingerprint biometrics and getting his photo taken with his sunglasses removed to get his Colombian digital ID.

The pop music star proudly displays his national ID card for the camera to encourage his people to enroll.

This is not the first time local music stars have participated in public engagement campaigns with national ID authorities. Cote d’Ivoire shared its experience working with musicians during a session on public awareness at ID4Africa 2022.

Article Topics

civil registration  |  Colombia  |  digital ID  |  face biometrics  |  financial services  |  national ID