Identity hanging by a thread: sharing my migration experience in support of ID Day

It was an average autumn day in the city of London in September just over a year ago when I arrived at my destination. It was a building as grey as the sky with a stereotypical queue waiting outside. I joined, the signs were quite strict stating only those with an appointment would be seen and only those were allowed entry with their QR code. I panicked a bit, I had focused so much on NOT forgetting my passport and paperwork I forgot anything else I might need. After struggling with phone service amongst the brick buildings I pulled up the QR code that allowed me in a timely fashion to enter the rather average looking office building that was a make or break point for migrants like myself.

I was in the outsourced Home Office Visa services, where I had to present myself, my 18 pages of documentation proving my existence and my passport as part of my application for the right to remain. This was in addition to proving my British knowledge was genuine by passing the ‘Life in UK’ test where I was tested on topics ranging from Boudicca to James Bond.

I awaited in the glassy ground floor office when I was told it was my turn to enter an office for this final moment which felt as victorious as if Boudicca was guiding me to it herself. I sat across from a very polite immigration officer who stared silently for a moment through his black framed glasses at my information on his screen before he told me everything seemed in order, all he needed was to look at my passport.

With the usual anxiety I face whenever I am separated from my passport, I nervously handed it to him with a million questions running through my mind- was he going to quiz me on the places I’d been? Because that passport had seen me through most of my 87 countries I’d visited. Or ask my purpose for each? Or where all my UK entry stamps were? Thankfully none of the above, but rather he stared quite pointedly at the passport binding.

He began scanning the pages, when I felt I was no longer about to be interrogated I chose to initiate an interrogation myself.

“So, I’m just curious — couldn’t I have scanned the passport pages myself if that’s all you’re doing and submitted it with the other 18 scanned document pages?”

“We have to check the passport in person and confirm the identity of the person matches the passport…”

I began thinking this was a glorified ID check similar to those I’d get regularly when I’d purchase a bottle of wine in my twenties until he said,

“…and check the thread in the binding.”

My anxiety flipped to curiosity as simply as he was flipping through and scanning my passport pages. Why in the world would I have had to have my right to remain rely on a thread (literally)?

“I’m confirming your passport is genuine. We see a lot of forged passports that even allow people to enter the country because they’re so accurate. Sometimes I’ve met people that have no idea they possess a forged passport, and they go through the immigration process here and its only when they get to this point they find out actually their passport has been forged.”

My ears kept peaking and I couldn’t resist asking,

“Who in their right mind would try and claim the right to remain on a forged passport? Or how would they now know they have a forged passport?”

“Whenever they last applied for a new passport from their government, someone intercepted the real passport, replaced it with a really good fake one, and sold off the real one for a lot of money.”

I passed all the rest of the checks that day, but I couldn’t help but think of those that leave that office with a shock that they’ve lost not only the right to remain but are left without any valid identification proving who they are. Proving who you are for a process like immigration can bring up a lot of questions for a person on their identity.

Having proof of one’s identity is a fundamental right, and a practical necessity for the human experience, especially in the context of digital transformation of society. Very few social constructs play as foundational a role in our lives as personal identity, yet the world does not commemorate it.

September 16 is ID Day

The Identity Day (ID Day) Campaign is the ongoing call for government authorities in all countries around the world to officially recognize 16 September as Identity Day.

Through a commemorative day, the ID Day Campaign hopes to promote a responsible narrative about the most important human asset — our identity. The choice of the date 16 September (16.9) is highly symbolic. It is in commemoration of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 16.9 which calls for the provision of legal identity for all by 2030, including birth registration.

INCLUSION

ID Day sensitizes us to the plight of those who lack proof of identity (estimated at 1 billion with about half in Africa) and reaffirms our commitment to achieving total inclusion, so that no one is left behind.

PROTECTION

ID Day is a reminder, for those who have proof of identity, to verify that their identity is secured against theft and their privacy is protected. It reaffirms that protecting our most valuable asset is an ongoing concern.

EMPOWERMENT

It is also an opportunity for those who have proof of identity, to check if they are reaping the highest returns on their identity by asking how well it can empower them and simplify their daily lives. It is the ideal occasion to call on service providers to adopt identity-enabled service delivery.

Who is supporting this?

As someone who’s felt the impact and stress to prove my identity, it gave me the motivation to direct the documentary FORGED, create an impact campaign (including a podcast and commissioning an art installation) and support efforts like ID Day. Over 120 international organizations — development agencies and non-commercial entities — have endorsed the Call for Identity Day as Coalition Partners.

JOIN THE COALITION

If you are a decision maker at your institution or can influence the leadership of your institution, please consider convincing your organization to join the coalition partners. It does not imply any legal or financial commitment but it demonstrates that your institution endorses this initiative. To join and have your logo displayed on this page, please contact Patience Elango or Stefane Daley

Email: contact@id-day.org