2025 brings us many new developments, but one of the most interesting (and necessary) is the implementation of the digital DNI in Spain. Yes, that plastic that we have always carried in our wallets now has a digital version that promises to make our lives easier. But will he really do it? Let’s find out.
What is the digital DNI?
Basically, it is the electronic version of the National Identity Document, which means that you can carry it on your mobile phone without having to carry the physical one all the time. It is integrated with an official application and has the same legal validity as the traditional format.
But be careful! It does not mean that the plastic document will disappear, but that we will now have a more comfortable and modern option to identify ourselves.
How do you get it?
If you’re thinking this is going to be a bureaucratic drama, breathe easy. Obtaining a digital ID is quite simple (at least in theory). You will need:
- Have your physical ID in force and with active electronic certificates.
- Access the website www.midni.gob.es or go to a Documentation Update Post (PAD) in Police stations or town halls.
- Link your identity to your mobile phone number.
- Download the official app of the National Police (MiDNI).
- Validate your identity with a biometric process and single-use codes.
- Confirm the process with the code that you will receive on your mobile.
Once registered and with the app on your mobile, you can virtualize your ID. It is important to know that MiDNI does not save your data, but rather consults the DNI database in real time. If your document is lost or stolen, the information will not be available.
In addition, you can choose what information to display depending on the use you want to give it:
- DNI AGE: Only show your photo, name and if you are of legal age.
- SIMPLE DNI: Includes photo, name, surname, sex and validity of the DNI.
- COMPLETE DNI: Shows all the data of the physical document.
Every time you need to show your ID, the app will generate a unique QR code that can be scanned by another device with MiDNI. This code will only be valid for a short time and will not leave a trace on the verifier’s mobile.
Use of digital ID
In this first phase, the digital DNI will only serve to identify yourself in person, just like the physical DNI. That is, you can use it to access public or private spaces that require identification, sign documents before a notary, carry out administrative procedures and prove your identity in multiple day-to-day situations. Some of the most common are:
- Prove of legal age.
- Open a bank account.
- Check into a hotel.
- Rent a vehicle.
- Pick up packages at the Post Office or courier services.
However, for now you will not be able to use it for online procedures, border crossing or authentication in digital services. For that, we will have to wait for the second phase scheduled for 2026, when functions such as electronic signature and Internet authentication will be included.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like everything in life, the digital ID has its pros and cons. Let’s go with a little review:
Advantages
- Goodbye to forgetfulness: How many times have you left home without your wallet? Now, with your document on your mobile, that will no longer be a problem.
- Faster procedures: Signing documents, making online transactions or identifying yourself in public organizations will be much more agile.
- Greater security: They have advanced protection measures, such as biometrics and encryption.
- More privacy: You can choose what data to display depending on the situation. For example, if you only need to prove your age, you can hide the rest of the information.
Disadvantages
- Mobile dependency: If your battery runs out or you lose your phone, you could have problems.
- Requires good digitalization: Not everyone is familiar with these technologies.
- Privacy issues: As with any digital document, we must trust that our data is well protected.
And what about the LGTBI+ community?
This change also opens up an important question: Will it be easier for trans and non-binary people to update their data and access their ID without problems? In theory, digitization could speed up the processes of changing name and gender on the DNI, but it remains to be seen how it is implemented in practice.
If bureaucracy continues to be an obstacle, all this technological progress would lose part of its meaning. Will this be a real step towards more inclusive identification? Time will tell.
The digital DNI in Spain is an important step in the modernization of our identity documents. It may make our lives easier, but it also forces us to think about new forms of data protection and accessibility.
What is certain is that, whether we like it or not, digitalization is advancing and we have to adapt. Now the question is: Are you ready to leave the physical version behind and trust the digital one?
