The service will be rolled out gradually, starting in the offices with the highest demand located in Santo Domingo and the North region, until it extends to the entire national territory.
SANTO DOMINGO – The General Directorate of Passports (DGP) presented President Luis Abinader and First Lady Raquel Arbaje with the first electronic passport . According to the institution, this event marks the beginning of the process of replacing the traditional passport with a booklet featuring new security specifications and international verification capabilities.
The new document incorporates an electronic chip that stores the holder's biometric data, such as a digitized photograph, fingerprints, and electronic signature. It also integrates more than 70 security features, including holograms, microprinting, watermarks, and ink visible only under ultraviolet light. The DGP reported that the booklet includes additional translations, including Portuguese.
In a press release, the institution explained that the new passport was designed to facilitate immigration controls and reduce the risk of counterfeiting, in compliance with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The agency indicated that automated reading will allow for faster processing at airports using electronic gates and biometric verification systems.
Who will it be given to first?
The DGP explained in the document that, before opening the process to the general public, it will focus data collection on diplomatic and official personnel. In this first phase, public officials, members of the foreign service, and members of the armed forces will be served, receiving the first electronic passports issued in the country.
According to the institution, this phase will allow them to verify the system's functionality before expanding operations to the public. The process will take place over the next few weeks while internal enrollment procedures are finalized.
Dates
The agency added that appointments will be available starting January 15 for citizens whose passports have expired or have less than six months of validity remaining. Those applying for the document for the first time under the new electronic format will also be able to schedule an appointment. Data collection for citizens with valid appointments and the gradual distribution of the new passports will begin in mid-February.
During this period, the traditional passport and the biometric passport will coexist. The institution noted that the complete replacement will depend on the rate of citizenship renewals and the operational capacity of the offices. It added that, as implementation progresses, early renewal will be permitted based on the document's expiration year.
In which areas will the rollout begin?
The DGP reported that the service will be implemented gradually, starting with the offices in Santo Domingo and the northern region, which have the highest demand. These locations will handle the initial flow of citizens due to the volume of applications and the existing infrastructure for biometric enrollment.
Once operations are stabilized in these areas, the service will be extended to the rest of the country. The expansion will depend on the technical capacity of each office and the demand during the first few weeks of implementation.
The institution indicated that the complete transition process will take several months, due to the temporary coexistence of both documents and the volume of citizens who will need to renew their passports in the coming years.
