Kemkomdigi Mandates Biometric Verification for SIM Card Registration
The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemkomdigi) has emphasised that registration for new SIM cards will be mandatory using biometric data verification with facial recognition technology, and can no longer use the national identity number (NIK), starting 1 July 2026.
Director General of Digital Ecosystem at Kemkomdigi, Edwin Abdullah, stated that the government is implementing this provision to ensure mobile number registration cannot be carried out using another person’s identity.
“Starting 1 July, new customer registration must use biometrics,” he said, as quoted in a ministry press release in Jakarta on Friday. “Therefore, we ask all operators to comply with this provision and immediately cease all activations that still use NIK and family card number (No.KK) validation without biometric verification.”
The Director General of Digital Ecosystem has sent a letter to all mobile network operators to immediately stop all new customer number activation processes using the NIK and family card number-based validation mechanism. Mobile operators are also required to ensure all new SIM card registrations are conducted using biometric data verification methods with facial recognition technology in accordance with Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Regulation Number 7 of 2026.
On 2 July 2026, the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs sent a letter to the Director General of Population and Civil Registration requesting the closure of access to validation using NIK and family card numbers for the purpose of mobile service customer registration.
During inspections, he found that one operator had implemented the registration procedure with the biometric data-based verification method, while two operators still allowed customer registration using NIK and family card numbers. Additionally, during the inspections, SIM cards that had been activated and were ready for use were discovered.
Edwin stated that the implementation of the new rule regarding mobile service customer registration requires support from all telecommunications service providers operating in Indonesia. “We invite all operators to make public protection a priority. Compliance with biometric registration is not only about fulfilling regulations, but also a form of shared responsibility in building a safer and more trustworthy Indonesian digital ecosystem,” he said.
“Biometric registration is an important foundation for preventing identity misuse, digital fraud, and various forms of cybercrime,” he added.
Kemkomdigi will continue to monitor the implementation of the biometric data-based SIM card registration rules throughout Indonesia. Telecommunications service providers found activating new customer mobile numbers without the biometric data-based registration process as stipulated will be subject to administrative sanctions in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.