Major upgrade to Jordan’s Sanad digital ID app adds instant activation

The updated version of Jordan’s government services portal offers a faster, more comprehensive user experience, with a key upgrade in automatic digital identity activation, according to a release from the government news agency.

The introduction of the completely mobile digital identity issuance process into the Sanad app, which operates using iris biometrics from IrisGuard, eliminates the need to visit a physical service station.

Sanad has already seen more than 2 million digital identities activated. It hosts approximately 1.3 million monthly users and nearly 6 million transactions. Designed as a central gateway to government services, it offers access to more than 500 online services – around 80 percent of the total.

The new activation method will soon be detailed by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship to boost public awareness.

The update brings in a unified service model, allowing citizens to complete entire government transactions from initial application to final payment within the app. It also expands payment options, adding support for Apple Pay and Google Pay alongside credit cards and direct transfers.

In effect, Sanad serves as a government wallet, in that it also houses digital versions of official identity documents, such as national IDs, driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations.

The government says the data shows a high level of engagement with the platform, logging 2,091 electronic payment transactions via the app within five days of the update.

Moving ahead, Sanad will be central to Jordan’s digital transformation efforts, as it aims to position itself in a leadership role in the larger digitalization of the Middle East.

Article Topics

digital government  |  government services  |  iris biometrics  |  IrisGuard  |  Jordan  |  Sanad