Identity Cards

After reading more on the Democrats' proposal for a National ID Card in the United States I thought I would look up what other countries' policies were.

Countries where it is Compulsory to have a National ID Card (with age):

At 18 years old:

Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Italy, Israel (fine of 1,400 NIS), Jordan, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malta, Morocco, Mauritius, Pakistan, Peru, Poland (fine: refusal of passport), Slovenia (or passport), Kenya

At Birth:

Argentina, Turkey

Between 1 - 17 years old:

Albania (16), Belgium (15), Bulgaria (14 - fine of 150 Euros), China (16), Croatia (16 - fine 1,500-2,000 Kuna), Cyprus (12), Czech Republic (15), Dominican Republic (16), Egypt (16), Estonia (16 - fine 50 Kroons), Germany (16 - or passport), Greece (12), Hong Kong (11), Hungary (14 - or passport), Indonesia (17), Iran (15), Lithuania (16), Luxembourg (15), Latvia (15 - or passport), Malaysia (12 - fine 3,000-20,000 RM or jail), Montenegro (16), Netherlands (14 or passport - fine 50 Euros), Portugal (10), Romania (14), Russia (14 - internal passport), Saudi Arabia (17 for males), Serbia (16), Singapore (15), South Africa (16 - refusal of passport), Spain (14), Sri Lanka (16 - refusal of passport), Thailand (15), Ukraine (16), Venezuela (10), Vietnam (14)

Age Unknown for Compulsory ID Cards:

Taiwan, Guatemala, Iraq, Mozambique, South Korea, Macau, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay

Pilot-Programs for Compulsory ID Cards:

India, Philippines, United Kingdom

Non-Compulsory ID Cards Available:

Austria, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Mexico, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland

No National ID Cards:

Australia, Denmark, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, United States.

^ I will never understand why countries would require ID Cards of people from birth to 17 years old (especially within their own country.) To me that is ridiculous. What little kids are going to run out and play and remember to bring their ID Cards? I am not for Compulsory National ID Cards or internal travel restrictions. It is one thing to have a National ID Card that citizens can get if they want to - like in the European Union to travel without having a passport and another for a "free society" to force its citizens to have one or else face fines and/or jail. ^