Transitioning to Electronic DNI: What You Need to Know

2024-01-11 08:31:00

The printing of electronic DNI (DNIe) is gaining ground in Peru, with notable interest among the younger population, who highlights its advantages and benefits compared to conventional versions. When will the blue and yellow National Identity Document (DNI) stop being issued? This is what the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (Reniec) indicates.

“We hope that our mega printing centers can be ready in the month of April, maximum in May and, from there, saying ‘no more blue DNI, no more yellow DNI’, only the electronic DNI will be printed,” said the national head of Reniec, Carmen Velarde Koechlin.

However, the official pointed out, there are people who have blue and yellow DNI with a validity period still valid, since they only expire in eight years. It is for this reason that the total migration towards electronic DNI (DNIe) cannot be done drastically.

“We could not harm these people and tell them that this document is no longer valid. Then, (the blue and yellow ID cards will leave the market) as they expire. It is projected that in 2024 two million 600 thousand DNI will expire.”

READ ALSO: Cases in which your name change request may be accepted

READ ALSO: Birth certificate: the most frequent cases for rectification

When asked about the projection of the largest expiration of blue and yellow DNI in the country, she said that it is not very far away.

“We are probably talking about four or five years, until the entire population says, you know what? My blue and yellow DNI has already expired, I want to obtain the electronic DNI.”

DNI is a more secure document

This process, he highlighted, will go hand in hand with promotional campaigns on the benefits of the electronic DNI (DNIe), which, due to its technological characteristics, is safer and offers the possibility of carrying out various procedures online.

“It is a more secure document. Many people have been making a color photocopy of the blue DNI, putting a badge on it and showing it to do paperwork. (…) that cannot be done with the electronic DNI. If someone tries to delete a surname or data, they will not be able to do it, they will ruin the identity document. In addition, the DNIe has international acceptance with recognition from the international civil aviation organization.”

Velarde Koechlin recalled that, when he entered the institution that he now directs, in August 2020, only one million 500 thousand Peruvians had an electronic DNI; On the other hand, now there are four million 700 thousand people with said document, among them many young people, even as young as 17, who have a DNI with their digital signature.

“Last year, more than one and a half million people obtained the electronic DNI, which has been well accepted, especially by young people who, with their electronic DNI, now sign the process for a scholarship, for their service. military, to apply to a university abroad, they are finding quite useful,” remarked the head of Reniec.

How to obtain the electronic DNI?

The electronic DNI is safer because it contains 15 security elements and a chip where the owner’s data is stored.

Likewise, it is less vulnerable to counterfeiting and allows greater commercial transactions to be carried out because it has a digital signature, with a PIN code, so that public and private entities can validate the identity of citizens.

While the blue DNI is made on laminated paper currency, the electronic one is printed on a polycarbonate card.

Another of its advantages is that it is printed and delivered in less time.

Those interested in obtaining an electronic DNI must pay the fee for people over 17 years of age, which is S/ 41 (regular price). However, from time to time Reniec implements campaigns to acquire this document for only S/30 throughout the country.