The Dominican Republic plans to implement a new biometric passport system with Thales, a tech company that invests in digital and deep-tech solutions.
Thales and its local consortium partner, Midas Dominicana, secured a contract from the Dominican government in 2025, enabling them to produce advanced biometrics technologies to secure and personalize travel documents in compliance with international security standards.
Included in the passport security features is a “polycarbonate data page and a chip” containing the user’s biometric data.
“In today’s digital world, identity is much more than a credential—it is the key to accessing essential services securely and efficiently. We are proud to support the Dominican Republic in this step toward digital modernization, offering trusted identity solutions that combine cutting-edge biometric technology with the highest security standards,” Nathalie Gosset, the vice president for Identity and Biometrics at Thales, said. “With this implementation, we are helping to build a strong, sustainable, and globally interoperable identity ecosystem that promotes public trust, drives inclusion, and optimizes services for all Dominican citizens.”
Luis Marrero, the VP for operations at Midas Dominicana, said that their partnership with Thales will ensure that the new e-passport will be the “most advanced and secure travel documents in the world.”
The plan to implement a new biometric passport is part of the Dominican Republic’s digital transformation strategy. Over the past few years, the country has been looking for ways to advance in digital identity, with a recent pilot testing verifiable credentials for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Other jurisdictions implementing national digital IDs and e-passports
Besides the Dominican Republic, more nations have been probing the use of digital passports. In May 2025, India made a leap in its digital transformation journey by modernizing international travel with the launch of chip-enabled e-passports. With this initiative, India aligns its passport technology with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, bringing it in line with global best practices.
Elsewhere, Jordan began its electronic passport pilot on September 1, which would operate alongside the traditional passport and be headed by the country’s Ministry of Interior. The e-passport, unveiled by the Civil Status and Passports Department, features advanced functionalities. Interior Minister Mazen Faraya describes it as a significant advance in government services.
Meanwhile, countries like Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and South Africa are also gearing up to launch and use their respective national digital IDs.
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Source: https://coingeek.com/dominican-republic-shifts-to-biometric-e-passports/
