Haiti: Towards the Modernization of the Identification System; NINU Becomes Mandatory for Passport Issuance

PORT-AU-PRINCE.— The Directorate of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) announces a major reform in the process of issuing Haitian passports: the Unique National Identification Number (NINU) now replaces the Tax Identification Number (NIF) as a mandatory reference at all stages of the procedure. According to an official notice sent to regional offices and Identity Document Reception and Delivery Centers (CRLDI), a new version of the passport personalization software is now operational throughout the national territory. This update marks the exclusive use of the NINU, a ten-digit identifier assigned to each citizen, as the central key of the system. Effective upon the measure's entry into force, any person over 18 years of age applying for a passport must present their National Identification Card. This obligation applies without distinction to first-time applications, renewals, or replacements for lost, stolen, or expired passports. The reform also extends the NINU requirement to several specific cases: identification of parents, guardians, or proxies for applications concerning minors, identification of the spouse for married women, and providing contact information for an emergency contact person. The stated objective is to strengthen the traceability and standardization of recorded information, in a context where documentary inconsistencies have long constituted an administrative obstacle. The DIE reminds data entry agents of their direct responsibility for the accuracy of the recorded information. Any discrepancy between the documents presented and the data entered into the system may lead to the rejection or invalidation of an application. Beyond the technical aspect, this reform is part of a broader approach to modernize the national identification system. The transition from NIF to NINU aims specifically to:
• strengthen administrative security,
• combat documentary fraud,
• facilitate the integration of state databases,
• modernize the management of travel documents. This evolution adds to efforts initiated several years ago to modernize the production of official documents in Haiti, improve their reliability, and align the country with international standards for identity control. Jean Mapou / Le Relief