Other national documents can legally be used as an identity card, such as a federative unit-issued driver's license, passport or, for minors, a birth certificate.

[1][2] Brazilian identity cards can be used as travel documents to enter the Mercosur members (Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay) and associated countries (Peru, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador; except Guyana, Suriname and Panama).

The documents required to obtaining an identity card depend on whether the applicant is single, married or naturalized.

[2] There is a national standard form of the card, but each issuing federative unit may introduce minor adjustments, usually concerning the numbering scheme, font, and the respective seal.

An identity card is commonly required for activities including obtaining a driver's license, opening a bank account, buying or selling real estate, financing debts, applying for a job, giving testimony in court, and entering some public buildings.

70.391 in 1972, Portuguese citizens benefiting from equal citizenship status are eligible for regular Brazilian identity cards.

The new card has security features to deter counterfeiting; the introduction of an embedded Near field communication (NFC) chip is also being considered.

[6] In February 2017, the Chamber of Deputies approved the project to put the new ID card into force, which would be called Identificação Civil Nacional.

After approval by Congress, the law was sanctioned by former President Michel Temer on May 11, 2017, and published in the Diário Oficial da União the next day.

However, the inclusion of the National Driver's License was banned from the original text, due to the possible need for retention by transit agencies and also the Passport, since it is a requirement of other countries as a single document.

The previous versions of the ID card will continue to be valid for 10 years starting from the date of publication of the Decree no.