Mexico’s Social Security Institute (IMSS) has published a definitive list of procedures now requiring the biometric CURP, the country’s upgraded national identity credential that captures fingerprints, facial photos, and iris scans, ahead of enforcement set to begin in mid-March 2026.
The requirement was established through an agreement between IMSS and the Agencia de Transformacion Digital y Telecomunicaciones, published in the Diario Oficial de la Federacion (DOF) on February 24, 2026. The DOF agreement specifies that the new rules enter into force 15 days after publication, placing the effective date around March 17, 2026. The agreement was approved by IMSS’s Technical Council and aligns with Article 91 Bis of Mexico’s Ley General de Poblacion, which designates the biometric CURP as the country’s sole official national identification document once fully implemented.
Under the new rules, individuals conducting in-person procedures at IMSS offices must present the biometric CURP as identification, or continue using a photo ID while the biometric rollout is completed. The procedures listed in the DOF include employer registration (alta patronal), assignment or cancellation of the Registro Patronal Unico, issuance of electronic employer identification certificates, and filing of affiliation movement notices for employees.
Separately, the IMSS Digital app, used by pension holders under both Ley 73 and Ley 97 regimes, has begun requiring biometric verification, including fingerprint and facial recognition, to maintain access to pension services. Pensioners who have not registered their biometric data risk suspension of payment disbursements and loss of access to their digital health records through the platform.
The biometric CURP, formally known as the Clave Unica de Registro de Poblacion with biometric data, has been rolling out across Mexico since late 2025. The system was approved by Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies in mid-2025, and the country launched a voluntary rollout ahead of mandatory enforcement in 2026. The expansion has not been without legal friction: a federal tribunal in Yucatan issued a provisional suspension of the rollout in September 2025 amid privacy concerns, though national enforcement has continued.
Residents can obtain the biometric CURP at Registro Civil offices and RENAPO (National Population Registry) locations by presenting their existing CURP, a valid official ID, and their birth certificate.
Sources: Diario Oficial de la Federacion, El Financiero, ADN40
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
