National ID Cards

Finally, after waiting 9 months, I have received my National ID Card for Non-Brasileans (Strangers, literally). It is required for so many things, even opening a bank account. According to the information given to me at the time I made the application, it was supposed to take 180 days, which seemed absurd to me but, as Brasileans say with resignation, typical. By the time I finally recieved notification, when I was in Rio, it was more like 250 days. Now that the wait is over, I´m just glad my application wasn´t lost. My tutor told me about one of his other students who had that happen to him.

I think of it as typically Brasilean also that the card measures an unfriendly 3.82 x 2.52 inches. (Yes, I had to use an internet conversion table to get those numbers, because I don´t have a "real" ruler. There are certain things which I will never adjust to for as long as I live here, and metric measurements rate high on that list.) Try to fit that into any of your traditional wallet-sized spaces. This is the same size as the Brasilian National ID for its citizens, by the way.

You might wonder why would the government persist in issuing such unfriendly-sized cards. Of course I have a theory. There exist all over the city, and presumably all over the country, businesses where you can have copies of any document "authenticated." For example, when I made my application for my CPF card (another national card that I really don´t understand, but which I described once before here as a social security card, without the social security), I needed to provide an authenticated copy of my passport and permanent visa. I will need to do the same thing when I open my bank account, which I can now do. And, of course, those authenticated copies aren´t returned to you for future use. The process always has to be repeated. Today I had my new ID card copied and authenticated in a reduced format so that it would fit in my wallet, and so that I would not have to risk losing the original. I was told the copy will be accepted in all situations except at the airports. I don´t know if these authentication centers are government owned or not, but they certainly have to be government licensed. And they generate a good deal of revenue for some interested party. Today I spent only R$7, but there were lots of other people doing the same thing.

Take a look at the attached photo. There is certainly some blank space, and unnecessary information, such as the names of my parents, date of entrance into the country and the date of issuance of the card itself. All of that information could be kept in some central file, but doesn´t need to be printed on the card. All of that, plus some minor font changes and you could have a card the size of a drivers license. Why do governments never ask for my advice?

And then there is the very idea of a national ID card. I know they run counter to exagerated American ideas of individualism and distrust of government. And even though I ridicule both of these notions, a national ID card seems a bit offensive. I suspect Republican types must feel more than a little conflicted, because ID cards for citizens and resident aliens would certainly contribute to national security. I want to do a little research. I have to wonder if the US might not be one of the last countries in the world to require such a card.

A national ID card wouldn´t necessarily solve this particular problem, but I was amazed recently to read how ineffective the US is in its tracking of foreign visitors. The US apparently has no idea how many of the people who entered the country legally have overstayed their visa´s time limitations. We only have estimates. At the very least, you would think computerization at the entry and exit points would allow the government to know who left on time and who didn´t. It wouldn´t help them locate anyone, but it would at least identify the scope of the problem.

Enough already. Tchau for now.