DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The Central Electoral Board (JCE) has announced the phased rollout for the renewal of the Dominican identity and electoral card (Cédula), will begin nationwide 12 April 2026 for the general public. In an effort to maintain public order and prevent overwhelming crowds, the agency is convening citizens to renew their documents during their respective birth months.

The initiative follows the symbolic delivery of the first new-format ID to President Luis Abinader and First Lady Raquel Arbaje on 26 January 2026. The first quarter of the year is being dedicated to internal testing and biometric data capture for JCE personnel and other government staff.

The massive renewal phase starts in April 2026 and is expected to conclude by 31 March 2027, for those within the national territory. The new document features longer expiration periods based on age: 12 years for...