Peru gives digital ID equal legal status to physical credential

Peru is moving beyond electronic identity documents toward a true mobile digital identity ecosystem after approving the legal framework for its new digital national identity document (DNId), which will have the same legal status as the physical credential.

The regulations establish the legal, technical and operational rules for issuing and using the DNId while explicitly allowing other compliant digital wallets to participate in the ecosystem alongside Reniec’s own Peru Pass application.

The framework under Peru’s Digital Government Law lays the foundation for interoperable, secure and citizen-centered digital public infrastructure while moving the country from electronic identity documents to a mobile digital credential.

As an official statement says: “Reniec strengthens the process of modernization of the State, promotes the digital transformation of public services and lays the foundations for interoperable, secure and citizen-centered Digital Public Infrastructure.”

Reniec is Peru’s National Registry of Identification and Civil Status, established under Law No. 26497 as an autonomous public body. It has full legal authority to manage registry, technical, administrative and financial matters. Reniec is solely responsible for maintaining and updating the country’s central registry of individuals, and for recording events related to their legal capacity and civil status.

Reniec will begin issuing a new national digital ID (DNId) free of charge during its rollout. The DNId will have the same legal status as the traditional physical DNI and can be used for both in‑person and online transactions.

The digital ID will be introduced gradually within 30 working days of August 1, 2026. It is designed for use on digital devices. The DNId will exist alongside physical and electronic IDs rather than replace them.

Reniec explained that the system will allow citizens to verify their identity securely, with data authenticated and integrated into official systems. The DNId is meant to make identification faster, more reliable and easier to use, with citizens able to access services without concerns about the validity of their documents.

It’s all part of Peru’s broader digital transformation strategy, which wants to reduce paper documents and streamline civil, commercial and administrative procedures.

Peru Pass

The Peru Pass, meanwhile, is the official digital wallet app provided and managed by Reniec  “without prejudice to other digital wallets that meet these standards,” according to an official document seen (and translated into English) by Biometric Update.

With this app, Reniec had help collaborating with the Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure (CDPI). In the past week Peru Pass went live on Android with 63 million verifiable credentials across national identity (24 million), birth certificates (34 million) and marriage certificates (five million). The national DPI sharing effort has more than 22 verifiers to help with affordable housing, scholarship applications, financial inclusion and transport access.

“Huge congratulations to Héctor Saravia of Reniec for driving this effort in just over 7 months! Kameshwari (Kamya) Chandra, cofounder and CEO of CDPI, wrote on LinkedIn. “And on our ecosystem side: you know who you are. It took a village to craft our largest DaaS implementation to date. Thank you for your efforts to make this real for the citizens of Peru!”

“This entire achievement has been made possible by the support of CDPI, thank you for trusting Reniec,” responded Saravia, director for digital certification services at Reniec, in a comment  under Chandra’s post.

The law shows the way

While Reniec has been legally empowered — as it has been given constitutional autonomy and “legal personality” — the laws also bind it to certain responsibilities, duties, and set out certain recommendations in the way it is handled, implemented and communicated.

For example, Peru’s government has approved regulations for managing digital identity under Legislative Decree No. 1412, known as the Digital Government Law. These rules define the digital national ID (DNId) as an official identity document issued by Reniec for use on digital devices. The DNId can verify a person’s identity both in person and online, and may include extra features allowed by law.

Reniec is responsible for setting the requirements, security standards, and procedures for issuing the DNId. The digital ID will exist alongside the conventional and electronic versions of the DNI, without replacing them. But a later decree, issued in July 2025, requires Reniec to fully implement the DNId within one year. This includes approving the operating rules and beginning issuance of the digital ID.

Additionally, the resolution assigns Reniec’s Directorate of Certification and Digital Services, along with its IT Office, to carry out the measures it sets out. Reniec’s Communications and Press Office is tasked with informing the public about the resolution. It also orders that the resolution be published in the official newspaper El Peruano and on Reniec’s website, along with the attached guidelines.

The digital national ID (DNId) is designed to give citizens full control over their personal data. When proving identity, only the information strictly required for the procedure is shared, and access is authorized through biometrics or a PIN, strengthening privacy protections.

Verification is done using temporary QR codes backed by cryptographic safeguards to ensure authenticity. Screenshots or photos of the DNId are not valid for identification.

To obtain a DNId citizens must already hold a valid physical or electronic ID, have a compatible smartphone, and pass an identity validation process that combines biometric checks, personal data and document verification. Parents can also request DNIds for their minor children. Peru chose Switzerland-based Tech5 as its biometrics technology provider.

The system follows a trust model with three actors: Reniec as the issuer, public and private entities as verifiers, and citizens as holders of credentials. Verifiers must integrate Reniec’s tools, request only essential data, and protect personal information under existing laws.

With these guidelines Reniec fulfills the requirements of Supreme Decree No. 098‑2025‑PCM, which ordered the agency to finalize DNId rules and begin issuing the digital ID by July 31.

Article Topics

digital government  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  Documento Nacional de Identidad (DNI)  |  identity management  |  Peru  |  Peru Pass  |  RENIEC  |  verifiable credentials