Indonesia mandates biometric SIM registration

Indonesia has issued a sweeping regulation that makes biometric verification mandatory for SIM card registration.

The SEMANTIK (Comfortable Smile with Biometrics) program is part of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Regulation No. 7 of 2026 which requires citizens to use their National Identity Number (NIK) alongside biometric data when registering mobile numbers, while foreign nationals must present a passport and residence permit.

Meutya Hafid, minister of Communication and Digital, stressed that the measure is a critical step to safeguard digital trust. “Registration of telecommunications services customers must be carried out with the principle of accurate and responsible customer identification (KYC),” she said, as quoted by Voi.

Under the new rules, prepaid SIM cards will be inactive and can only be activated after biometric registration. This is aimed at eliminating “fake” numbers.

“Biometric-based registration, limitation of number ownership, and the public’s right to check and control numbers under their identity are important foundations in narrowing the space for digital crimes in Indonesia,” she said in a written statement (via Tempo English).

Customers under age 17 must register using the identity and biometrics of their household head, while individuals are limited to three numbers per operator. Operators are also required to provide platforms for users to check which numbers are registered under their identity and request blocking of unauthorized use.

Existing customers who registered manually will be required to re-register using biometrics, and operators that fail to comply face administrative sanctions.

Biometrics is being deployed across Southeast Asia. Thailand has mandated biometric liveness detection for SIM registration, ordering all mobile operators to implement the checks. Malaysia is embedding MyDigital ID into telecoms, while Vietnam is preparing biometric verification for 100 million mobile phone users.

Combating rising SIM-based fraud and scam activity is a commonly cited reason for the biometrics implementation. The region has been a hotspot for scam activity.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  identity verification  |  Indonesia  |  legislation  |  SIM card registration