Mandatory Biometric SIM Registration from 1 July 2026

The government, through the Ministry of Communications and Digital (Kemkomdigi), will implement nationwide biometric SIM card registration using facial recognition technology from 1 July 2026. The policy is outlined in Minister of Communications and Digital Regulation No. 7 of 2026 on Customer Registration for Mobile Telecommunication Services. The system replaces the previous new mobile number registration process which only required submission of the National Identity Number (NIK) and Family Card (KK). The policy applies to new registrations and will be fully enforced by all mobile operators in Indonesia without exception. “Effective nationwide from 1 July 2026,” said Edwin during a press conference at the Garuda Spark Innovation Hub in Jakarta on Friday, 29 May 2026. Edwin stated that after this date, mobile operators will no longer be granted any exemptions from implementing the new registration mechanism. “For new registrations, the full national implementation will take effect from 1 July 2026 with no further exemptions,” he said. Under the new system, new SIM card customers will be required to verify their identity using facial biometrics, which will be matched against government identity data. Kemkomdigi also urges those who have undergone biometric registration to check if their NIK or KK is linked to unknown numbers. “If any are found, please report them for immediate deactivation,” Edwin added. Although biometric registration will be mandatory for new customers, the requirement does not apply to existing active SIM users. Edwin explained that existing customers can voluntarily undergo biometric registration. “For existing users, registration is voluntary. This is because the current focus is on new registrations,” Edwin said. He added that the voluntary approach was chosen to ensure telecom operators and related agencies have sufficient infrastructure readiness before wider implementation.