President Abinader to receive new ID card today

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic officially begins the issuance of its new national identity card this Monday, with President Luis Abinader set to become the first citizen to receive the document. The launch marks a key milestone in the modernization of the country’s civil and electoral identification system.

The official ceremony will be led by the Plenary of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), headed by its president, Román Jáquez Liranzo, along with board members Dolores Fernández, Samir Chami Isa, Hirayda Fernández, Rafael Vallejo, and general secretary Sonne Beltré.

According to the JCE, the collection of personal and biometric data, as well as the physical delivery of the new identity and electoral cards to priority groups, will take place during February and March. Beginning Monday, February 9, the process will focus on issuing ID cards to accredited presidents, general secretaries, delegates, and alternates of the electoral body.

Nationwide mass registration will start in April and will be organized based on citizens’ birth months. This phase of the national identity card rollout is expected to continue until March 31, 2027.

The new Dominican identity card includes advanced security features such as an embedded electronic chip and a transparent photograph, enhancing protection against fraud. To maintain clarity and legibility, standardized abbreviations will be used for long place names, while polling station names will be printed on two lines without hyphenation on the polycarbonate card.