Corridor 1

Identity & Registration

How people and entities become identifiable in administrative terms — through numbers, registries, and official records.

What “identity” means here

In daily life, identity is personal. In public systems, identity is functional. It is the way an institution can reliably reference a person or entity without ambiguity. That reference might be a number, a registry entry, or both.

Identity systems are usually built for record‑keeping and accountability. They make it possible to say: “This entity exists in a recognised form, in this jurisdiction, under these rules.”

Identifiers vs. registries

Identifiers

Numbers and codes used to reference an entity. They often have internal structure (country prefix, check digits, format rules), but structure is not proof. A well‑formed identifier can still be invalid, expired, or misused.

Registries

The record sets that hold the authoritative entry — where status, dates, and official attributes live. Some are public. Some are limited. Some require a reason or a role.

Status

Many identity questions are really status questions: active vs. inactive, registered vs. deregistered, valid vs. invalid. Status belongs to the registry, not to the number itself.

Examples you may encounter

Identity and registration systems vary by country and purpose, but typical examples include:

Company registration numbers (national trade registers)
Tax identifiers (national or cross‑border references)
Sector‑specific identifiers (where regulation requires a specialised record)

What this corridor does not cover

Identity is not permission. A valid registration does not automatically grant the right to trade across borders, import goods, or travel. Those questions belong to other corridors.