Facial Recognition Mandatory for New SIM Card Registrations from July 2026

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - From 1 July 2026, Indonesian citizens will have a new method for SIM card registration using facial recognition technology. “1 July will be implemented nationwide,” said Edwin Hidayat Abdullah, Director General of Digital Ecosystem at the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, during a press conference on Friday (29 May 2026). This new method replaces previous registration using the National Identity Number (NIK) and Family Card Number (NoKK). The trial for this registration began in January 2026. By April 2026, Edwin explained, biometric registration was being used by 300,000 people daily. He stated that the new registration system is ready for use by Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, and XLSMART. The process is simple and reportedly takes less than a minute to complete verification. “Previously, registration required careful input of numbers, but now it’s just a smile,” he said. During the process, mobile operators do not store any data. They encrypt the user’s facial data and send it to Dukcapil for verification. “Dukcapil then responds with a confirmation of whether it matches,” he added.