Identity card BES

Identity card BES: version for Saba

The Identity card BES (locally also known as identity card or cedula) is a uniform identity card for residents in the Caribbean Netherlands introduced upon the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010.[1] The cards are machine-readable and have the size of a creditcard. The front contains the words Identiteitskaart (English: Identity card) followed by the island names Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (with the name of the island where the card is issued in larger font and bold face). The card also contains the Coat of Arms of the island of issue.[2]


Legal Basis

The legal basis is the Dutch law on identitycards BES (Dutch: Wet identiteitskaarten BES) which is derived from the corresponding law on the Netherlands Antilles (Dutch: Landsverordening Identiteitskaarten).[3]

The card is only valid in the Caribbean Netherlands, not in the European Netherlands.

Physical appearance

The card contains 12 numbered fields on the front with explanation on the back in Dutch, English, and Papiamento:[2]

  1. Surname
  2. Given names
  3. Date of Birth
  4. Place of Birth
  5. Sex
  6. Nationality (for Dutch: NLD, the card is also issued to non-Dutch residents)[4]
  7. ID number
  8. Card Number
  9. Status
  10. Date of Issue
  11. Date of Expiry
  12. Signature

The machine-readable strip starts with I<NLD as does the Dutch identity card.

Relation to other identity cards

The identity card of the Netherlands Antilles issued in Bonaire were machine-readable upon the transition and will maintain their validity until expiry, whereas cards issued on Sint Eustatius and Saba are older and less secure. They will be valid until 1 July 2011 at maximum.[2] Furthermore the possibility will be investigated to replace the card by the Dutch identity card.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "New ID card for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba". Sint Maarten Island Time. 2010-09-28. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Regeling identiteitskaarten BES." (in Dutch). wetten.nl. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  3. ↑ "Invoeringswet openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba" (in Dutch). wetten.nl. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "31 959 Aanpassingswet openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba, nr. 6, NOTA NAAR AANLEIDING VAN HET VERSLAG" (in Dutch). overheid.nl. Retrieved 2010-10-16.