National Registry of Identification and Civil Status

The National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (Reniec or RENIEC), is an autonomous body of the Peruvian State in charge of the identification of Peruvians, granting the National Identity Document (DNI), registering vital events such as births, civil marriages, deaths, divorces and others that modify the marital status. During the electoral processes, it provides the Electoral Registry that will be used in the elections.

It was created by Law No. 26497 of July 12, 1995, in accordance with the 177th article and 183. er article of the Political Constitution of Peru. It is based in Lima, Peru and the current national head is Carmen Velarde Koechlin.

History

During the Viceroyalty of Peru

During the viceroyalty, the work of registering births, deaths or civil status was carried out by the Catholic Church through the parishes, governed by Canon Law. The Spanish Crown by Royal Order of March 21, 1749, ordered the formation of monthly statements of births, marriages and deaths, entrusting them with the care and custody of these books in the same parishes.

Beginnings of the Republic of Peru

On July 28, 1852, the first Peruvian Civil Code was promulgated, in which the Civil Status Registries were created, whose management was in charge of the district governors. When the municipalities were established through the Peruvian Constitution of 1856, the provincial and district mayors are in charge of administering and keeping the Civil Status Registry books.

The purpose of establishing identification records was due to the need to know the number of citizens that each jurisdiction had for the purposes of electoral processes. For this purpose, an identity document called the electoral booklet was created.

Contemporary era

The Peruvian Constitution of 1993 creates the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (RENIEC) as an organization in charge of registering vital events and changes to civil status. In 1995, through the Organic Law of RENIEC, the Single Identification Registry of Natural Persons was created, establishing the National Identity Document (DNI) as a personal identity card and exclusive document to exercise the right of suffrage, replacing the electoral booklet.

In 2000, an update to the Single Text of Administrative Procedures was promulgated to prevent signatures from being falsified and thus guarantee electoral processes. RENIEC was chosen as the most reliable public institution in the country, according to research studies carried out by important polling companies between 2008 and 2010.

Currently, this organization is in the process of implementing the electronic DNI since July 15, 2013 which will gradually replace the current DNI.

Functions

In accordance with Headquarters Resolution No. 527-2009-JEF-RENIEC of August 18, 2009, which approves the Regulations of Organization and Functions of RENIEC, the functions of this body are the following:

• Planning, organizing, directing, standardizing and rationalizing the registrations of their competence;
• Registration of births, marriages, divorces, deaths and other acts that change the civil status of persons, as well as judicial or administrative decisions that refer to them that are subject to registration and other acts that are indicated by law;
• Issue the corresponding registration records;
• Prepare and keep the electoral roll updated in coordination with the National Electoral Process Office;
• To provide the National Elections Jury and the National Electoral Process Office with the information necessary for the performance of its functions;
• Maintain the Register of Identification of Persons;
• Issue the Unified Document that accredits the identity of persons; as well as their duplicates;
• Promote the training of qualified personnel required by the institution, as well as civil registrars and other staff members who integrate the Register System;
• Collaborate with the exercise of the functions of the police and judicial authorities relevant to the identification of persons, leaving the provisions of the following paragraph safe and in paragraphs 1, 5 and 6 of the second article of the Political Constitution of Peru
• To ensure the unrestricted respect for the right to privacy and identity of the person and the other rights inherent in the person derived from registration;
• Ensuring the privacy of data relating to persons who are subject to registration;
• Implement, organize, maintain and monitor the functioning of the fingerprint and pelmatoscopic records of people;
• Provide maximum cooperation to the National Electoral Process Office during electoral processes, facilitating, if necessary, the use of its infrastructure, material and human resources,
• Execute the authenticity of the signatures of adherents for processes specified by the Law, as well as for the exercise of the political rights provided for in the Constitution and the Laws;
• Emit the Raice Certificates for the Certification Entities for the Peruvian State that request it;
• Maintain the confidentiality of information concerning applicants and holders of digital certificates; and
• Comply with the other functions entrusted to it by law.

Electronic DNI in Peru

Regional headquarters

RENIEC has 292 registry offices, agencies, service points and Auxiliary Registry Offices (ORA), the latter are located in the hospitals of the Ministry of Health and EsSalud. Abroad, it has 239 Consular Offices for the attention of compatriots.

It also has 16 Regional Headquarters located in the main cities of the country:

• Piura
• Trujillo
• Tarapoto
• Iquitos
• Chimbote
• Huancayo
• Ayacucho
• Arequipa
• Cusco
• Lima
• Puno
• Ica
• Pucallpa
• Huancavelica
• Huánuco
• Amazon

Awards and recognitions

Since its creation, RENIEC has received numerous recognitions for its work:

• Ibero-American Quality Award (FUNDIBEQ) 2018
• Corporate Creative Award 2017
• Novagob Awards Excellence 2017
• National Digital Democracy Award 2016
• Ibero-American Quality Award (FUNDIBEQ) 2016
• National Prize for Culture (Ministry of Culture) 2015
• National Quality Award 2015
• The Regional ID Document of The Year 2015
• Award for Best Intercultural Practices. Diversity is ours (Ministry of Culture) 2014
• Corporate Creative Award 2013
• United Nations Public Service Award 2013
• Ibero-American Quality Award (FUNDIBEQ) 2012
• Corporate Creativity Award 2011
• National Quality Award 2011
• Award for Best Practices in Public Management 2011
• National Quality Award 2010
• 2010 Award for Best Practices in Public Management
• Corporate Creativity Award 2009
• Award for Best Practices in Public Management 2009
• Best Government Practices Award 2006
• Honor to Merit at the Best Government Practices Award 2005