El Salvador Sees the Benefits from Long Term Relation
At a time when other countries chop and change ID contractors on a regular basis, El Salvador – the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America – is reaping the rewards from sticking with the same contractor over three successive contract periods.
In 2011, Mühlbauer, in-house developer and manufacturer of ID hardware and software systems, won the concession contract for the issuance of the Documento Único de Identidad card in El Salvador for a period of five years. Apart from being an identity card, the DUI, as it is commonly known, is required to vote in municipal or presidential elections.
Within this period, which was to prove to be the first of three contracts, a completely new issuance system – including a secure data management system, data enrolment systems, supply management and warehouse systems and personalisation equipment – was delivered. Part of the project was also the development of high quality cards, including document design, security features used for the cards, holographic designs and materials.
In 2015, the contract was extended for another five years, which has allowed Mühlbauer to issue more than 9.3 million ID documents in El Salvador and more than 750,000 identity documents to El Salvadorans living abroad.
In 2020, Registro Nacional de Personas Naturales (RNPN), the Civil Register of El Salvador, conducted a new bidding process, which resulted in a new concession contract for a six-year period (2021-2027). New to this contract is the provision of a new mobile version of the ID card – Digital DUI.
Cornerstones of the new contract
In total, more than 8 million documents will be delivered during the new six-year contract period.
The new DUI card has an innovative security design, where the holder’s portrait is engraved by laser into the multilayer polycarbonate structure of the document, protecting it against any kind of tampering or substitution. This colour personalisation process allows high-resolution photos to be engraved while retaining all the original photo details, ensuring perfect authentication. The card will be launched to the public in April 2022.
The implementation of a mobile version of the Digital DUI will allow different applications and interoperability with different public and private entities and the introduction of a Unique Identity Number will allow the issuance of an identification number to individuals as soon as they are born.
Mühlbauer’s commitment to maintaining a presence in El Salvador, over what will be close to 16 years, has enabled a series of technological innovations and service improvements, which have allowed, among other achievements:
Implementation of an electronic ID document, (Digital DUI)
High efficiency in the system of decentralised issuance of the DUI ID card, with that the procedures are carried out in very short times.
Highest security standards in the issuing systems as well as in the ID document itself
Certified assurance of citizens’ information.
Adaptation and flexibility of the issuing process during peak periods
Expansion of the service to the US and other countries in the world where El Salvadorian people live.
Mühlbauer believes that only by committing to a long-term partnership with the government of El Salvador is it possible to deliver a robust and modern system that allows guaranteed and reliable identification of people, the issuance of a high security document and a platform at the service of different governmental entities.
Active in Latin America and across the globe
But it is not only in Latin America that Mühlbauer has been active – having participated in more than 300 projects for passports, ID cards and driving licences across the globe.
The project in El Salvador is just one example of Mühlbauer’s commitment to the Latin America region. The company is currently delivering the ID card issuing an enrolment solution in Guatemala (DPI card). And, just recently, Mühlbauer was awarded a seven-year contract to provide
4.5 million new polycarbonate ID/Voters cards in Panama along with a laser-based personalisation system and a new ID card issuing solution.
Mühlbauer is also active in Argentina, where the state printer and Civil Register of Argentine manufacture and personalise the Argentinean ePassport with Mühlbauer equipment. Mühlbauer passport personalisation equipment is currently also personalising the electronic passports in Ecuador, Brazil and the Dominican Republic.
Again, in Argentina, Mühlbauer has set up Fast Gate solutions for a range of different automated border crossing solutions at international airports, seaports and land borders.
And in Ecuador, Mühlbauer was first choice for Instituto Geografico Militar (IGM), a government entity, that 10 years ago set up a complete factory with Mühlbauer equipment for ID document production and nowadays IGM manufactures and pre-personalises all national ID cards and ePassports in Ecuador with Mühlbauer equipment.
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