Dominican Republic to issue first electronic passport in January 2026

Santo Domingo.- The General Directorate of Passports (DGP) announced that the Dominican Republic will issue its first electronic passport in mid-January 2026, with President Luis Abinader becoming the first recipient during an official launch event marking the start of the document’s renewal process. The initial phase will also include the renewal of passports for Dominican diplomatic personnel abroad before the service is gradually extended to the general public.

During the transition period, the current passport format will continue to be issued and will coexist with the electronic version until existing booklets expire. Appointments for the issuance and renewal of passports will begin the day after the launch event at the DGP’s new headquarters on Avenida Doctor Defilló and John F. Kennedy Avenue, with data capture scheduled to start in February 2026. The new passport will feature a hard data card with an integrated chip containing encrypted biometric information, similar to modern national ID cards.

As part of the rollout, the DGP has shared samples of the new passport formats with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for presentation to foreign embassies. The agency also highlighted that the Dominican Republic was officially admitted in December to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Public Key Directory (ICAO PKD), enabling real-time international verification of Dominican electronic passports and reinforcing global security, authenticity, and protection against identity fraud.