Across the Pacific, the development of digital identity systems is still in its early stages, with only a few countries having established frameworks while many others are still navigating the initial stages of planning and implementation. Only three out of the 17 countries (Australia, New Zealand and Vanuatu) have digital ID systems in place. A common theme across these systems is that they are designed primarily to support secure online access to government services, although they differ in scope and function. Australia’s myID and New Zealand’s RealMe are voluntary. Both IDs are foundational and functional, offering secure verification but not serving as proof of citizenship.[44] In contrast, Vanuatu’s E-ID acts as a foundational ID, forming the primary legal identity for citizens and permanent residents, and the NID card is mandatory, while E-ID is voluntary.[45]
Most of the remaining countries that have plans to roll out a digital ID system are at different stages of development. Fiji announced in 2025 that it will build a comprehensive National Digital ID System which is expected to take three years to complete.[46] Kiribati intends to develop a digital ID as part of its Digital Government Master Plan, while the Marshall Islands is progressing through a World Bank–supported Digital Republic Project to lay the groundwork for digital identity.[47] Papua New Guinea has already begun rolling out its SevisPass system, although it is not yet fully implemented.[48] Samoa has legislated its future digital ID framework through the National Digital Identification Act, but is still preparing for its rollout.[49] Tonga is receiving World Bank support to digitize and integrate its civil registration and national ID systems, and Nauru plans to establish a national digital ID in the next five years through its Digital Transformation Strategy 2025–2030.[50] Smaller countries such as Tuvalu have outlined ambitions to be a “digital nation”, but implementation remains uncertain.[51]
Table 3: Digital ID System and its Key Features Across The Pacific countries
| Country | Digital ID System Found in the Country? | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| American Samoa | None | Not applicable |
| Australia | myID – 2024 | MyID is a voluntary, foundational and functional ID system evolved from myGovID, designed to securely verify identity for accessing government services online. It does not prove citizenship, as non-citizens with valid visas can obtain a digital ID.[52] |
| Federated States of Micronesia | None | There were plans in 2019 to implement a voluntary National Digital Identification (NDID) system by the government to provide a ‘unique legal identity to all citizens and residents of Micronesia’[53] |
| Fiji | None | There was an announcement in 2025 to establish a comprehensive and secure National Digital ID System by the National Identification Steering Committee which is expected to take three years to complete.[54] |
| Guam | None | Not applicable |
| Kiribati | None | Aims to establish a digital identity (ID) system as part of its broader digital transformation efforts outlined in the Digital Government Master Plan (2021).[55] |
| Marshall Islands | None | It is in the early stages of implementing a digital ID system as part of a broader World Bank-supported Digital Republic Project.[56] |
| Nauru | None | It plans to implement a national digital ID system in the next five years as part of their National Digital Transformation Strategy 2025-2030.[57] |
| New Zealand | RealMe – 2013 | RealMe is both a functional and foundational digital ID that enables individuals to securely prove their identity online and access government and private services. RealMe is generally optional and not required in order to access services, aside from applying for a visa to New Zealand.[58] |
| Northern Mariana Islands | None | Not applicable |
| Palau | None | No digital ID system for citizens, but it offers Palau a “Web3-based digital ID platform” for non-citizens, serving as both a foundational and functional ID. It enables access to financial platforms, government services, and digital contracts, but does not prove citizenship or grant residency rights.[59] |
| Papua New Guinea | None | It’s digital ID system, SevisPass, entered the rollout phase in May and June of 2025 but has yet to be fully implemented. It is envisioned as a foundational ID for identity verification and provides access to online government services.[60] |
| Samoa | None | In February 2024, Samoa’s digital ID system, as well as its main legislative framework, were envisioned under the National Digital Identification Act as a part of the country’s CRVS framework, but it has yet to be rolled out.[61] Intended to be both a foundational and functional ID. It will introduce a unique 10‑digit identification number (SDIN) and a biometric national identity database to provide citizens and residents with a legally recognized digital identity.[62] |
| Solomon Islands | None | Not applicable |
| Tonga | None | There are plans to implement one with the World Bank granting Tonga $4.65 million to support the Tonga Digital Government Support Project, including the digitization and linking of Tonga’s civil registration and national ID systems.[63] |
| Tuvalu | None | At COP27 (2022), the Tuvaluan Minister of Justice, Communications and Foreign Affairs announced that Tuvalu would become the first ‘digital nation’ and aims to ‘digitally recreate its land, archive its rich history and culture, and move all governmental functions into a digital space’, but there have been no updates on this since then.[64] |
| Vanuatu | E-ID – 2025 | The E‑ID is a foundational ID linked to the mandatory National ID. It serves as the primary legal identity for citizens and permanent residents.[65] It can be used to access government services such as obtaining a driver’s license, opening bank accounts, applying for an international passport, and conducting land transactions. The National ID (and thus the E‑ID) is mandatory for certain services. |