CFA Program Identification Policy Change

(Effective 1 January 2011)

An international travel passport is a document issued by a national government which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. It is the only form of identification accepted for the CFA Program.

This policy applies to all new and returning candidates, and is strictly enforced.

It is your responsibility to read and understand the instructions and requirements below.

Valid International Travel Passport Expiration

• If your international travel passport is valid but will expire before the date of the exam, you may still use it to register, but you must renew it before the exam and update your record with the new information. If the information in your record does not match the information on your passport exactly or your passport is expired, you will not be permitted to take the exam and will forfeit your registration fee.
• The laws and requirements of each country are different. Please contact your country’s passport-issuing agency for detailed instructions. Keep in mind that in some cases the application process may take several months. We want to be sure that all candidates have sufficient time to obtain their passport.

Passport cards, national identification cards, limited travel documents, and internal passports are not valid forms of identification for the CFA Program.

Below we address forms of identification we are asked about frequently. Please note that these examples are not all-inclusive. Contact CFA Institute if you have specific questions about the validity of your identification.

A U.S. passport card is a travel document that can be used to re-enter the United States at land border crossings or sea ports of entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. It is designed only for the specific needs of the northern and southern U.S. border resident communities. It is not a globally interoperable travel document and is not a valid form of identification for the CFA exam.

A national identification card is a portable document that individuals are required or encouraged to carry as a means of confirming their identity. Examples of national identification cards include the Hong Kong Identity Card and the Chinese National Identification Card. Some national identification cards can be used to travel from one country to another within a specific region (for example, Schengen Area, Personalausweis, or European Union identification cards) or for frequent travelers to use when traveling between two specific countries (for example, the MyKad for travel between Malaysia and Brunei or the Cédula de Identidad for travel between Chile and Honduras). Regardless of whether it allows you to cross an international border, a national identification card is not a globally interoperable travel document and is not a valid form of identification for the CFA Exam.

The Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions have immigration control systems separate from each other and mainland China. Travel between mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau is not considered international travel. The people of Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China do not need passports to travel between the three places.  Instead, documents such as the Mainland Travel Permit, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Travel Pass, the Macau Special Administrative Region Travel Pass, and the Exit-Entry Permit can be used. These documents are not globally interoperable travel documents and are not valid forms of identification for the CFA Exam.

An internal passport is an identity document issued in some countries to control the internal movement and residence of people. Countries that currently have internal passports include, but are not limited to, Russia, Ukraine, and China. Although internal passports are issued in booklets similar to an international travel passport, these documents are not globally interoperable travel documents and are not a valid form of identification for the CFA Exam.