On Sun, 19 Sep 2010 12:26:05 -0400, blake murphy wrote:
Dunno either - but I suppose they just needed to make sure you *hadn't*
been convicted for a criminal offense before offering you the job...
I don't intend to
FWIW, in my neck of the woods all newborn infants are allocated a national
identity number which appears on their birth certificates once issued -
which also has their parents' full names and identity numbers thereon.
Once said individuals reach the age of 18 y/o and wish to apply for such
things as a drivers license, a passport, or open a normal bank account for
example, they have to apply for an "ID Book" which also reflects their
identity number, their full names, date of birth and a photograph of
themselves - and none of the aforementioned items are possible to obtain
without one.
Applying for an ID Book involves providing one's identity number listed on
one's birth certificate, having one's photos taken, filling in a bunch of
forms (of course) and handing them in at the relevant authority's offices.
While at said offices, a *full* set of finger prints is also taken from
the applicant before the application will be accepted for processing -
which go on record (for ever and ever, amen) for any of our law
enforcement agencies to access if and when deemed necessary.
Even if one has an ID Book another set of finger prints is taken by our
equivalent of the DMV when one applies for a drivers license and a
thumbprint as well as a photo of the applicant appears on the license card
once issued. Even if one is not a citizen, and merely a "permanent
resident" (who is allowed to live and work here and pay taxes), one has to
apply for an identity number/ID Book once permanent residence has been
granted.
I have to add that living without an ID Book in this country would be
somewhat inconvenient; if one wants to join a local library, one's ID Book
has to be produced. Purchasing a life insurance policy, or getting some
medical insurance - an ID Book is required for doing so. Need treatment in
an ER - an ID number of the patient is required for the paperwork
involved. Want to hire a few DVDs from a video store? Nothing doing unless
one produces said ID Book first time one does so. And don't even think
about buying a SIM card for a mobile phone, renting an apartment, getting
a personal loan, a loan to buy a car, or applying for a mortgage to buy a
home without one either. There's a whole bunch of other stuff here that
requires producing an ID Book, but I think you get my drift.
Heh. To date we can still fart in our bathrooms without an ID Book, but
one just never knows...
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy