The ID Card System of the Balklands

Example card: Lewis Resmond

REPUBLIC OF THE BALKLANDS
PERSONAL ID CARD

Given Name       Family Name           Sex
LEWIS            RESMOND               M

Date of Birth    Species
25 DEC 1953      MONITOR LIZARD

Place of Origin  Place of Residence
BALKLANDS        BALKLANDS
ABONY            WARM CREEK

Serial No        Registry / Local Office
0345539175-003   GARFIELD

Date of Issue    Date of Expiry
20 FEB 1996      20 FEB 2000

Signature
(Lewis Resmond)

Eye Color        Height     Blood Type    Organ Donor
TURQUOISE        170 CM     A RH-         NO

Address
10 HILLSIDE LANE
10385 WARM CREEK
BALKLANDS

Drivers License   Date of Expiry
CAR+TRUCK         -/-

Health Insurance  Date of Expiry
NONE              -/-

Firearms Permit   Date of Expiry
NONE, DANGEROUS   -/-

Army Status       Date of Expiry
EXCLUDED          -/-

CERTIFICATES / ANNOTATIONS
-/-

Example card: Jace Romeo

REPUBLIC OF THE BALKLANDS
PERSONAL ID CARD

Given Name       Family Name           Sex
JACE             ROMEO                 M

Date of Birth    Species
11 NOV 1970      FROG LIZARD HYBRID

Place of Origin  Place of Residence
BALKLANDS        BALKLANDS
WARM CREEK       WARM CREEK

Serial No        Registry / Local Office
0458520574-008   GARFIELD

Date of Issue    Date of Expiry
02 MAR 1996      02 MAR 2000

Signature
(Jace Romeo)

Eye Color        Height     Blood Type    Organ Donor
ORANGE           160 CM     B RH+         NO

Address
10 HILLSIDE LANE
10385 WARM CREEK
BALKLANDS

Drivers License   Date of Expiry
CAR+TRACTOR       -/-

Health Insurance  Date of Expiry
NONE              -/-

Firearms Permit   Date of Expiry
HANDGUNS          -/-

Army Status       Date of Expiry
RESERVE           -/-

CERTIFICATES / ANNOTATIONS
-/-

Example card: Taurón de la Torre

REPUBLIC OF THE BALKLANDS
PERSONAL ID CARD

Given Name       Family Name           Sex
TAURÓN           DE LA TORRE           M

Date of Birth    Species
07 MAR 1975      BULL

Place of Origin  Place of Residence
SPAIN            BALKLANDS
TORRONIA         WARM CREEK

Serial No        Registry / Local Office
0613522846-001   GARFIELD

Date of Issue    Date of Expiry
13 JUN 1996      13 JUN 2000

Signature
(Taur)

Eye Color        Height     Blood Type    Organ Donor
BROWN            210 CM     A RH+         YES

Address
7 FOREST HILL
10385 WARM CREEK
BALKLANDS

Drivers License   Date of Expiry
CAR+BIKE          -/-

Health Insurance  Date of Expiry
BASIC             -/-

Firearms Permit   Date of Expiry
NONE              -/-

Army Status       Date of Expiry
NOT YET TRAINED   -/-

CERTIFICATES / ANNOTATIONS
-/-

Annotations

Multifunctional ID Card System

The Balklands' ID card system serves as a multifunctional identification tool, combining several functions in one card. It integrates a national ID for citizens, a driver's license, health insurance information, firearms permits, and army status into a single, unified system.

Centralized Data Storage

All personal data is stored in a centralized database, accessible to relevant authorities. This database handles and maintains all information related to each citizen.

Registry Operations

Several registries are responsible for verifying data, sending change requests to the central database, querying data for updates, and requesting clearance for printing new ID cards (increasing the card counter) based on current information. Although the system is centralized, the technology is old, with all data stored as raw text and transmitted through TELEX teleprinters.

Timeframe

The current year in this world is 1996. Interestingly, despite the outdated data infrastructure, the Balklands have fast Internet and smartphones available to citizens.

Taurón: Age 21 (Born in 1975)
Lewis: Age 43 (Born in 1953)
Jace: Age 26 (Born in 1970)

Serial Number Format

Each citizen's ID card has a unique serial number composed as follows:

The first 11 digits represent the person number, which is assigned sequentially nationwide for each birth or emigrated citizen.
This is followed by a single-digit Luhn checksum.
After a dash, a 3-digit card following number indicates how many times the card has been renewed (starting from 001).
If the first digit of the 11-digit number is 0 through 8, it is a number that identifies a person. The digit 9 is reserved for identification of other legal entities such as companies or government agencies.

Driver's License

Field "Drivers License" contains information on which classes of vehicles the person is authorized to drive.

Health Insurance

Field "Health Insurance" can be NONE, BASIC, or PREMIUM, depending on the health insurance level the citizen has, based on the premiums paid.

Firearms Permit

Field "Firearms Permit" can indicate "NONE," "HANDGUNS," "RIFLES," etc., specifying the types of firearms the individual is authorized to purchase, own, and openly carry. A special status of "NONE, DANGEROUS" applies to individuals classified as criminals, resulting in the revocation of their permit to purchase, own, and openly carry firearms. However, in rural areas where there are fewer checks and higher rates of corruption, acquiring firearms may still be possible despite this status.

Army Status

Field "Army Status" indicates whether the citizen is in the RESERVE, ACTIVE, or VETERAN status. Special statuses like EXCLUDED (e.g., for disability or illness, or for registered criminals) may also be listed. It is followed by the branch of the military, such as MARINE, AIRFORCE, GROUND FORCES, or NUCLEAR FORCES. Individuals aged 16 will have their Army Status recorded as "NOT YET TRAINED", indicating they have not yet received military training or been inducted into service.

Social Security and Tax System

The Balklands have a simplified tax and pension system, where citizens pay a flat tax rate based on their income. This system minimizes complexity, ensuring that most people contribute similarly, proportionate to their earnings.

Card Renewal Policy

The ID card is renewed every 4 years or sooner if any personal information changes (e.g., health insurance status, army status, or driving license classes) to ensure that the card always reflects up-to-date data.

Passport Usage

While the ID card can serve as a regional travel document for neighboring countries or under specific agreements, it does not function as a full international passport since no physical entries, such as visa stamps or border control markings, can be recorded on it. For broader international travel, citizens would still require a separate passport.

Photo and Signature Process

Although the centralized database only stores text, the photo and signature are captured locally at the time of card issuance. The card templates, complete with holograms, are delivered to local offices via high-security trucks. The photo, signature, and personal data are then printed onto the card at the local offices, using secure printers. After printing, the local data files are deleted to ensure only textual information is retained in the system.

Temporary ID for Emigrants

At the border, emigrants are issued a temporary paper ID card with a valid serial number, taken from the nationwide pool of born or emigrated individuals. This number is assigned immediately and remains valid even if their emigration is later denied. All data is sent to the central database, allowing for a permanent ID card to be issued once their status is confirmed.

Corruption in Local Offices

Local offices are often vulnerable to bribery, with officials sometimes soliciting payments to request unauthorized changes to the central database, such as falsely adding a firearms permit that the individual does not possess.

Dangerous Individuals

Individuals classified as registered criminals have their Army Status changed to "EXCLUDED" and their firearms permit marked as "NONE, DANGEROUS." Any request to alter a dangerous status must be accompanied by substantial documentation, such as police records, court decisions, or rehabilitation certificates. While it is possible to bribe officials to remove these restrictions, such efforts are often costly and carry significant risks.

Police Access to Database

Police have the authority to access the database to query current information, especially in cases where an individual has been flagged as dangerous but possesses an outdated card that does not reflect this status. Due to the typically slow TELEX communication, police officers can also contact the central database directly via phone to obtain the necessary information.

Holographic Security Features

The ID card includes several holographic security features:

1. front: the national flag on the front, also rendered as a hologram.

2. backside: a silver reflective stripe along the right edge, with the national motto "From the Past, We Build the Future - Our Strength, Our Land, Our People" written with holographic font

3. backside: the heraldic eagle on the back displayed as a hologram

Data structure

The database contains a large text file formatted as follows. The order of the fields largely mirrors the printing order of the ID card, with the exception that the serial number appears at the beginning.

SerialNo::GivenName::FamilyName::Sex::DateOfBirth::Species::PlaceOfOrigin::PlaceOfResidence::Registry::DateOfIssue::DateOfExpiry::EyeColor::Height::BloodType::OrganDonor::Address::DriversLicense::ValidTill::HealthInsurance::ValidTill::FirearmsPermit::ValidTill::ArmyStatus::ValidTill::CertificatesAnnotations

Fields are separated by two colons. A "new line" character is replaced with a single colon.

Historical data is also recorded, allowing for a review of changes.

Lines are not ordered. For status changes, a new line is added at the end of the file. The previous lines are read-only.

Example

Here is an example of Lewis's data:

He received his first card (001) on January 14, 1969, at the age of 16, which indicated no firearms permit and an army status of "Not Yet Trained." He lived in Abony with the local office located in Kazinville, and the local office was in Kazinville.
In 1995, after leaving the country for several decades, he emigrated again, residing in Warm Creek, with the local office located in Garfield. His second card (002) registered a handgun license obtained from the neighboring country, the United States of Eurasia.
In 1996, he was flagged as dangerous, resulting in his third card (003), which revoked his firearms permit and excluded him from army service.

This would result in the following record:

0345539175-001::LEWIS::RESMOND::M::25 DEC 1953::MONITOR LIZARD::BALKLANDS:ABONY::BALKLANDS:ABONY::KAZINVILLE::14 JAN 1969::14 JAN 1973::TURQUOISE::160 CM::A RH-::NO::3 TELEPHONE HILL:10960 ABONY:BALKLANDS::NONE::-/-::NONE::-/-::NONE::-/-::NOT YET TRAINED::-/-::-/-
0345539175-002::LEWIS::RESMOND::M::25 DEC 1953::MONITOR LIZARD::BALKLANDS:ABONY::BALKLANDS:WARM CREEK::GARFIELD::03 SEP 1995::03 SEP 1999::TURQUOISE::170 CM::A RH-::NO::10 HILLSIDE LANE:10385 WARM CREEK:BALKLANDS::CAR+TRUCK::-/-::NONE::-/-::HANDGUNS::-/-::NOT YET TRAINED::-/-::-/-
0345539175-003::LEWIS::RESMOND::M::25 DEC 1953::MONITOR LIZARD::BALKLANDS:ABONY::BALKLANDS:WARM CREEK::GARFIELD::20 FEB 1996::20 FEB 2000::TURQUOISE::170 CM::A RH-::NO::10 HILLSIDE LANE:10385 WARM CREEK:BALKLANDS::CAR+TRUCK::-/-::NONE::-/-::NONE, DANGEROUS::-/-::EXCLUDED::-/-::-/-

New Born

Newborn individuals are recorded with the card number 000, ensuring that the person number is reserved. The first official card, 001, is issued once the individual reaches 16 years of age.

The date of issue is typically a few days after the birth date, depending on the speed of the registration process. The date of expiry is the same as the date of issue, making this imaginary card valid for only one day.

For Lewis, the data set would look like this:

0345539175-000::LEWIS::RESMOND::M::25 DEC 1953::MONITOR LIZARD::BALKLANDS:ABONY::BALKLANDS:ABONY::KAZINVILLE::27 DEC 1953::27 DEC 1953::TURQUOISE::50 CM::A RH-::NO::3 TELEPHONE HILL:10960 ABONY:BALKLANDS::NONE::-/-::NONE::-/-::NONE::-/-::NOT YET TRAINED::-/-::-/-

The card No. 000 can be printed (optional with photo, otherwise black photo), and can be used as birth certificate.

Death

Death is recorded in the database with a card following number of 999, and the fields are populated as follows:

The Place of Residence is the location where the body was found or where the individual passed away, such as in a hospital.
The Date of Issue is set to the date of death or an approximate date if unknown.
The Date of Expiry is set to December 31, 2999.
In the "Certificates / Annotations" field, the entry "Deceased", followed by the cause of death is added

For example, if Lewis was murdered at New Harbor in United States of Eurasia (U.S.E.) at the age of 65 (year 2018), the record would indicate:

0345539175-999::LEWIS::RESMOND::M::25 DEC 1953::MONITOR LIZARD::BALKLANDS:ABONY::U.S.E.:NEW HARBOR::GARFIELD::27 FEB 2018::31 DEC 2999::TURQUOISE::170 CM::A RH-::NO::10 HILLSIDE LANE:10385 WARM CREEK:BALKLANDS::CAR+TRUCK::-/-::NONE::-/-::NONE, DANGEROUS::-/-::EXCLUDED::-/-::DECEASED, MURDERED

The card No. 999 can be printed with black photo, and can be used as death certificate.

Database size

The size of the database is currently 124 GB. (Calculation: Approx 61,500,000 persons, each person has approx 8 lines, and each line is approx 270 characters long. Multiplying these numbers get the amount of bytes. Dividing by 1024 three times gives the amount in GB.)