The National Executive Council has endorsed the National Digital Identity Policy 2025, paving the way for the introduction of SevisPass, Papua New Guinea’s digital identity system that will serve as a cornerstone of our national digital transformation and digital public infrastructure.
SevisPass marks a turning point in how Papua New Guineans will identify and access services. For the first time, citizens will be able to create a self-enrolled, self-proofed digital ID and securely store it in digital form, giving them full control over their own identity and associated personal identity.
Through the SevisPortal, individuals can enrol themselves, strengthen their identity over time, and use their SevisPass to securely access both government and private sector services.
The system will operate on a three-tiered model. Citizens may begin with a basic entry-level digital ID — possibly without documentation — and then progressively strengthen their SevisPass by linking functional IDs such as a National Identification (NID) card, driver’s licence, passport, police clearance certificate, or registered SIM card. Importantly, the NID will continue to remain a foundational source of identity, forming the basis upon which other credentials can be layered.
To accelerate adoption, the system will pre-issue SevisPass credentials for citizens who already possess one of these functional IDs. Based on existing records, we estimate that at least 2.5 million Papua New Guineans will automatically be issued a SevisPass upon launch or within the first three months after launch.
A critical enabler of this ecosystem will be the SevisDEx (Data Exchange Layer), which provides the trusted, secure, and interoperable backbone for linking SevisPass to government and regulated private sector databases. Consultations with government data custodians commenced on 1st October 2025 to prepare for this integration, ensuring that SevisPass can operate as a trusted national platform from day one.
The benefits of SevisPass and SevisDEx are far-reaching. A secure digital identity system will expand financial inclusion, allowing citizens without prior documentation to open bank accounts and access services. It will strengthen
AML/CTF compliance and support PNG’s efforts to address FATF greylisting. It will enable an accurate and updated Common Roll, improving our democratic processes.
And most importantly, it will stimulate growth in the broader economy by enabling trusted digital transactions, reducing fraud, and improving efficiency across sectors from finance and telecoms to education and health.
The SevisPortal and SevisPass infrastructure will be opened through a staggered process commencing 30th October 2025, with progressive consultations to be undertaken with key regulators — NICTA, Bank of Papua New Guinea, and particularly FASU — as well as with industry players including banks and telecommunication providers.