Spanish
Santiago.- The Dominican Republic took another step towards the modernization of its public services with the implementation of the electronic passport in Santiago, a high-tech document that incorporates more than 170 security measures, streamlines the issuance processes and will offer new benefits to Dominicans inside and outside the country.
The opening of the service was led by the Director General of Passports, Lorenzo Ramírez, who assured that the new system marks "a before and after" in the protection of citizens' identity and in the digital transformation of the institution.
"The old laminated passport is left behind. Now we have a digitally engraved polycarbonate sheet, with international security standards that protect the identity of Dominicans," said Ramirez during the event held in Santiago.
The official also highlighted that Dominicans who have the new electronic passport will have access to assistance for the repatriation of corpses in the event of death abroad, a measure he described as a relief for hundreds of families affected by tragedies outside the country.
Ramírez explained that citizens will be able to renew their passports digitally through the portal of the General Directorate of Passports, where they can also manage appointments to collect the document. He informed that the implementation of the new system began in San Francisco de Macorís and Santiago, and will be extended in the coming weeks to Gran Santo Domingo, San Cristóbal, Azua and other provinces.
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He also announced that between August and September, the electronic passport will begin operating in consular offices in New York, Boston, New Jersey, Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville.
During the activity, the director of the Government Office of Information and Communication Technologies (OGTIC), Edgar Batista, stated that the country is at the technological forefront of Latin America and the Caribbean with the implementation of this smart document.
"This is not just modernizing a passport; it is a concrete step towards the digital transformation of the Dominican State," said Batista, who also revealed that this year a new GOB Point will be enabled on the Santiago monorail to expand government services in the Northern region.
The governor of Santiago, Rosa Santos, highlighted that the new system will drastically reduce waiting times and facilitate procedures for citizens.
"Now a VIP service that previously took 24 hours can be ready in one or two hours. That represents comfort, speed, and efficiency for people," he expressed.
Santos also announced that plans are underway to open passport offices at airports to assist travelers with emergencies without having to go to other offices.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Santiago, Ulises Rodríguez, described the initiative as a technological revolution and highlighted the strict security controls implemented in the document delivery process.
"Today, the passport not only serves for travel; it is also an identity document with legal validity inside and outside the country. That's why it was necessary to strengthen its security levels," stated the municipal executive.
The new offices will operate in modern spaces, with extended hours and comprehensive attention for requests, renewals, and delivery of ordinary and VIP passports.
The General Directorate of Passports also reported that these actions are part of the institutional strengthening that allowed the Dominican Republic to climb nine positions in the Henley Passport Index 2025, reaching 67th place in the world ranking of travel freedom, with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 70 international destinations.
As part of the digitization process, the entity also promotes "Salomé", a virtual assistant that will allow managing appointments, receiving guidance and channeling inquiries in an automated and fast way.
