The National Registry of Identification and Civil Status in Peru has confirmed that its new digital identity document remains under development without a firm launch date. The state identification agency approved official guidelines for the digital credential, known as the DNId, but stated that the platform is not yet ready for public release.
Official regulations published on July 31 in the state newspaper El Peruano established that the progressive implementation of the digital identity document was scheduled to begin within 30 business days. Under the approved headship resolution, the credential will be issued free of charge to citizens during the 2026 fiscal budget year.
Reniec confirmed that an official presentation will be conducted to announce public availability once technical development is complete. Until that presentation takes place, no definitive start date exists for citizens to request the new mobile document.
Development timeline and public availability
The new digital format operates through mobile devices linked to national digital identity services and the ID Peru platform. Citizens will be able to store and present their identification directly on smartphones for both in-person transactions and virtual procedures.
According to the approved guidelines, the digital credential carries the exact same legal value, legal efficacy, and evidentiary weight as traditional physical and electronic identity cards. The system also includes a feature that enables parents to verify the legal identity of their minor children through the digital interface.
Legal validity and mobile features
The arrival of the digital format will not phase out or replace existing physical credentials used across the country. The digital document will coexist alongside the traditional blue DNI and the smart card electronic DNI, preserving the validity of all current identity formats.
Reniec designated the digital system as a temporary complement during its initial rollout while the agency builds out the required technological and operational infrastructure. Physical and electronic identity cards will remain fully valid for all legal and administrative purposes.
Coexistence with physical identity documents
Technical proposals for the new framework were developed by the Subdirectorate of Digital Certification Services, a specialized unit within the Directorate of Certification and Digital Services at Reniec. The technical unit drafted the operational rules and recommended offering the document without fee during the initial transitional phase.
National identification system in Peru
In Peru, the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status, known universally by its Spanish acronym Reniec, is an autonomous constitutional body responsible for maintaining the civil register and issuing official identity documents to all citizens. The official gazette El Peruano serves as the government newspaper where all national laws, headship resolutions, and legal decrees must be formally published to take effect.
Peruvian citizens currently rely on the traditional blue identity card, known as the DNI azul, or the chip-enabled electronic card introduced in recent years. Reniec stated that it will announce further operational details and activation procedures during the formal public presentation once system testing is completed.
