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National identification number

Number to represent one's identity as a numerical code

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Through Citizenship, Domicile (law) and Identifier

The ways in which such a system is implemented vary among countries, but in most cases citizens are issued an identification number upon reaching legal age, or when they are born. Non-citizens may be issued such numbers when they enter the country, or when granted a temporary or permanent residence permit.

Some countries issued such numbers for a separate original purpose, but over time become a de facto national identification number. For example, the United States developed its Social Security number (SSN) system as a means of organizing disbursing of welfare benefits. The United Kingdom issues National Insurance Numbers for a similar purpose. In these countries, due to lack of an official national identification number, these substitute numbers have become used for other purposes to the point where it is almost essential to have one to, among other things, pay tax, open a bank account, obtain a credit card, or drive a car.

Africa

Nigeria

The Nigerian National Identification Number (NIN) is issued and managed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). It is an eleven-digit number (for example, 13478900989) assigned by the government to Nigerians of all ages as well as to legal residents. The NIN is used to facilitate access to public services and the exercise of civil rights in Nigeria. A key technology supporting the NIN initiative is the Android Enrolment Solution, a mobile application developed by Seamfix Limited that enables NIMC agents to enrol individuals into the National Identity Database using mobile devices in both urban and remote locations across the country.

Somalia

In Somalia, the National Identification and Registration Authority was established in March 2023. Its mandate includes developing a National Identification Number, designed to streamline administrative processes, enhance security, and mitigate fraud and corruption by verifying identities in both digital and in-person transactions.

South Africa

In South Africa every citizen must apply for an Identity Card from the age of 16 years. The ID number is already allocated at the time the birth certificate is generated and required for child passport applications. This passport-size document contains only 8 pages – the first page containing the national identification number (also in barcoded format), name of bearer, district or country of birth, as well as a photograph of the bearer. The other pages are used for recording of voting participation, a page for driver's license information (although it is no longer used since the introduction of plastic card type licenses), as well as pages for fire arms licenses (also plastic card type now). The card is required to apply for a passport, car learner's license (over 17), motorcycle learner's license (over 16), driving license (over 18), motorcycle license (over 16 or 18 depending on cc) and to vote (over 18). The Identity Card is not used for international travel purposes (a separate passport is issued) but usually is acceptable photographic identification for internal flights, and mainly serves as proof of identification. Some authorities may accept the driver's license as proof of identity, but the Identity Card is the only universally accepted form of identification. The government has started issuing ID cards which contains a biometric chip which, in turn, holds biographical information which is unique to the holder of that specific card. The South African government has since phased out the Green Barcoded Identity Card and replaced it with the plastic Smart Identity Card. The Identity number is also used when the holder applies for a grant from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).

Validation

A South African person identification number is a 13-digit number containing only numeric characters, and no whitespace, punctuation, or alpha characters. It is defined as YYMMDDGSSSCAZ:

  • YYMMDD represents the date of birth (DoB);
  • GSSS is a daily sequence number, where female newborns are assigned numbers starting with 0000 to 4999, male newborns from 5000 to 9999, and the sequence is reset each day;
  • C is citizenship status, with 0 if the person is a SA citizen and 1 if the person is a permanent resident;
  • A is 8 or 9, although prior to 1994 this number was used to indicate the holder's race;
  • Z is a checksum digit.

As an example, the ID Number 9807055009087 would be assigned to a citizen born on 5 July 1998, who was the tenth male to be registered that day (the first male's number would contain 5000, the second 5001, etc.)

The checksum digit is calculated using the Luhn algorithm or its equivalent, shown below:

  • X1 = the sum of the digits in the ID number's odd positions (excluding Z)
  • X2 = 2 multiplied by the concatenation of the digits in the ID number's even positions
  • X3 = the sum of the digits in X2
  • X4 = X1 + X3
  • Z = the difference between 10 and the last digit of X4 (X4 mod 10)

Racial classification

During the apartheid era the next to last digit, "A", denoted "race". Since these documents were not then issued to the majority population, the "race" code does not include those classified as Black. i.e. 7605300675088

"A" Classification:

  • 0: White
  • 1: Cape Coloured
  • 2: Malay
  • 3: Griqua
  • 4: Chinese
  • 5: Indian
  • 6: Other Asian
  • 7: Other Coloured

After about 1987, the racial classification was eliminated, and all existing numbers were reissued with new digits in the last two fields (AZ).

HANIS

In contrast to other countries the South African ID number is not unique, at least because of the use of a two-digit year. Other issues with duplications exist: however the Department of Home Affairs HANIS Project has planned to rectify that with ID smart cards. The timeline for that is undetermined as the last budget request for 08/09 and 09/10 included requests for budget for it despite the project being active since 1997.

Zimbabwe

Upon reaching the age of 16 the applicant then has to go to the registrar generals offices in their district to obtain a national ID. Foreigners in Zimbabwe have their ID number with the district of origin as 00 meaning they are foreigners so their ID number would look like 12 345678 A00. Zimbabweans who are not of black race also get a district of origin shown as 00, even those who are of mixed race. It was announced in September 2021 by the Department of Home Affairs and Cultural Affairs that the '00' code would be abolished as it differentiates "citizens on the basis of race, colour and creed"

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