Renewing My Argentina National Identity Document (DNI)

Yesterday was another beautiful and magical day here in San Martin de los Andes. I had to interrupt my vacation to attend to a bureaucratic matter. Most countries in the world, except the USA, have a national identity card that each citizen and permanent resident is required to have. The document for Argentina is called the DNI. Mine was getting close to expiration and had to be renewed because the format had gone digital and it was now just a card and not a book as in the past. I started at the Argentina Federal government office here. Much to my surprise they told me that I had to go to the office of Civil Registry for the province of Neuquen. i walked a few blocks and entered. It was an office staffed by three very efficient, charming and funny women. They were so nice to me and carefully walked me through the whole process. When they pulled up my file they noted that I had been born in the State of Texas, there was some laughter and kidding about that. I had to be photographed and finger printed. I had to pay a $35 peso fee. I now have a temporary new DNI and will pick up the final card when I return in February.