More than three million residents of Minas Gerais have already obtained the new National Identity Card (CIN). That number surpasses the population of the state capital, Belo Horizonte, and places the state in the lead among all 27 federal units. The total has been driven by young people aged 15 to 19, by far the age group that most sought the service, accounting for 11.22% of all issuances. These young citizens will benefit from the security and convenience of the CIN’s integration with the GOV.BR platform, developed by the Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services (MGI).
“In the future, the new ID will be the only document Brazilians need to carry,” explained the Secretary of Digital Government, Rogério Mascarenhas. He praised the milestone achieved by Minas Gerais and the state’s embrace of new technologies and digital government. “Minas leads in the number of issuances, ahead of even more populous states. This shows that both the government and the population recognize the benefits of the CIN and the digitization of public services,” Rogério emphasized.
Minas Gerais has around 500 identification centers distributed across its 853 municipalities, and that number is constantly growing, according to the state’s Civil Police (PCMG). The security agency also partners with City Councils, Municipalities, and Civil Registry Offices to expand access to remote areas, and has even created a mobile team to support social projects and reach hard-to-access locations.
Célio Ribeiro, Executive President of ABRID and founder and CEO of InterID, highlighted the significance of the state’s progress: “The impressive milestone reached by Minas Gerais reflects its commitment to adopting the new National Identity Card. Leading the country in issuances reinforces the state’s dedication to modernizing public services, ensuring secure civil identification, and promoting digital inclusion.”
A popular place to obtain the document is the Integrated Service Units (UAIs). The State Planning Secretariat has increased the number of these units by 26% since the beginning of 2024, when CIN issuance began in the state. At the UAI Praça Sete in Belo Horizonte alone, 2,000 appointment slots are offered daily, and the total number of daily slots across all UAIs grew from 5,000 to 11,000 in just over a year.
It was at the Barreiro UAI in the state capital that yoga instructor Verônica Bethônico (49) got her new ID. She said she was able to book her appointment quickly because a UAI staff member advised her to check the website early in the morning, due to the high demand since early 2024.
Verônica obtained her CIN in February 2025 after visiting the DMV to renew her driver’s license and discovering that her old ID had expired. The first difference she noticed was the streamlined service. “You don’t need to bring a photo—it’s taken right there. And the fingerprinting isn’t messy anymore; it’s all digital,” she noted.
She also mentioned the QR code on the card and appreciated the option to include other personal data and documents. Although she wasn’t aware of this feature beforehand, when asked by the staff, she opted to declare her status as an organ donor. However, she couldn’t add her voter ID or other numbers because she didn’t have those documents with her at the time.
One feature she hasn’t used yet is the digital version of the CIN—simply because she forgot. “My dad was hospitalized for a while, and I had to visit him at Santa Casa. One time I forgot the physical document and had to go back home, even though I had the digital version on my phone,” she recalled. “We’re still not used to relying on technology—we’re used to paper.”
What changes with the new ID
Across the country, more than 24.1 million CINs have already been issued. The goal is to reach 130 million by the end of 2026, which will enhance security for citizens and government institutions, and improve public service delivery.
Issuing the new ID automatically grants citizens “gold level” status on GOV.BR, giving access to over 4,500 platform services, such as digitally signing legally valid documents and completing proof-of-life procedures.
The CIN uses only the CPF as the unique identification number, which prevents fraudsters from creating multiple records across states or duplicating documents with the same number in different regions.
Besides deterring fraud, the new document allows for the inclusion of additional records such as the Driver’s License, Work Permit, Voter ID, and Military Certificate, as well as personal information like blood type, RH factor, organ donor status, and medical conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and hearing, visual, physical, or intellectual disabilities.
In the future, this data unification will allow services and benefits to reach eligible citizens without requiring them to actively request assistance. “People will be securely identified, and services will come to them,” Secretary Rogério Mascarenhas explained.
