Cedula de Identidad – Identification Card

This week I reached a milestone in my progression toward adulthood here in Chile, taking on the responsibility and accountability of an adult, being recognized as a full-fledged citizen (un ciudadano) in the grand city of Santiago. Yes, this week I finally got my identification card (cedula de identidad) and I now registered and legal as a (albeit foreign) resident of Chile.

This marks the culmination of a process that began almost a month ago, not withstanding all the previous issues I had to go through to get a temporary visa for working here in Chile. This time, the process went really smooth, as all the requirements had been met, all the fees had been paid and all background checks had been accomplished. Yes, on a brisk and cold morning here in Santiago, I waltzed down to the local government building, stood in line for a half hour (not too bad) and then was let in to get my card. I even understood the directions of the gatekeeper, when he asked what I was doing and directed me to the information desk to pick up my ID card.

After that, I got my card, and admired it as a sixteen-year old admires his or her first driver’s license. I examined the card to make sure my name was spelled correctly, and looked over the photo that sits beneath the shiny glossy and transparent front of the ID card. It has my signature, my birth date and the date it expires (fecha de vencimiento) as well, I mean, I am a foreigner (un extranjero), what do you expect? It also has my number, in that I am one of over 22 million people who have registered for this service, or at least that is what I think it means.

Although it is merely a temporary ID, it does make me feel like I belong, that I am really part of the city, foreign visitor or not. I have put away my driver’s license and my passport, they are set aside in a safe and secure spot, as I won’t need them for quite some time. If someone needs to see my ID, well, I just open my wallet and BAM! There it is, the real deal, the real McCoy, the legal proof that I belong. Maybe I‘ll even go open a bank account…