Optimization of the National Registry of Questioned Identity Documents

On December 30, 2019, the Agency of Access to Public Information, through the Argentine Data Protection Authority, issued Resolution No. 42/2019. The Resolution unifies the procedure for receiving complaints of theft, robbery, loss or alteration of identity documents. In this way, it seeks to meet the objectives of guidance and assistance to victims of identity theft set by the Centre for Assistance to Victims of Identity Theft (Resolution No. 7/2010), as well as to optimize the operation of the National Registry of Questioned Identity Documents (Resolution No. 24/2010). In this way, the unified procedure seeks to provide greater effectiveness, efficiency and quality of the Registry and, ultimately, better protection of data and privacy of individuals.

Public authorities receiving complaints of theft, robbery, loss or alteration of any type of identity documents must inform the Argentine Data Protection Authority by submitting certain pertinent information. Similarly, the data submitted by the authorities to be included in the National Register of Questioned Identity Documents must comply with the Resolutions of Article 4 of Data Protection Law No. 25,326 that is to say, meet the requirements of the quality of personal data.

Last, Resolution No. 42/2019 emphasizes that the public authorities must inform the complainants: (1) that the personal data contained in the report of the identity document will be registered in the database of the National Registry of Questioned Identity Documents of the Agency of Access to Public Information, for the purpose of (i) preventing possible illegal uses of those documents and (ii) inform, to whomever requires it, the fact that they have been included in the National Register of Questioned Identity Documents; and (2) that the Agency of Access to Public Information is responsible for the database, and the data subject can exercise their rights of access, rectification and suppression (Articles 14 et seq., Data Protection Law No. 25,326).