DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

President Luis Abinader and First Lady Raquel Arbaje became the first citizens to receive the Dominican Republic’s new electronic passport on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, marking the official launch of a high-tech passport aimed at modernizing the nation’s migration security.

The President and his wife engaged in the biometric enrollment process at the new headquarters of the Passports Office (DGP) off John F. Kennedy Avenue. The procedure included the capture of high-resolution photography, digital fingerprints, and an encrypted signature.

The new biometric passport features a significant technological leap, moving to a 10-year validity period. Lorenzo Ramírez, director general of Passports, announced that the cost of the document will now be RD$6,700, an increase of RD$1,050 over the current version. The DGP has plans to offer as of February 2026 an optional courier...