Digital ID Overview

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Fiji lacks a national digital ID system but is currently working on developing one through the expansion of its National ID system.[8] In its inaugural meeting in February 2025, Fiji’s National Identification (ID) Steering Committee approved the project’s budget and timelines, key stakeholders for engagement, the governance structure, and the drafting of necessary legislation.[9] In June 2024, Fiji’s Cabinet approved the digital ID program with hopes that it will contribute to reducing poverty and increase efficiency of government service delivery.[10] The Fijian government plans to make the digital ID a key part of its expanding digital public infrastructure and has estimated another 3 years for its completion.[11] With the plan to improve service delivery with the new digital ID, it is likely to be implemented as a functional ID.[12] In its October 2024 press release, the Fiji administration reported that it is working in conjunction with Japan’s Digital Government Agency, Asian Development Bank, and other stakeholders on the new digital transformation program.[13]

From the limited information available, it is unclear whether foreign citizens, refugees, dual citizens, or stateless persons would be eligible for the national digital ID. Currently, the digital ID is described as a universal identification system intended for all citizens, suggesting that its primary focus is on Fijian nationals.[14]

Fiji’s broader digital government transformation program, the digitalFIJI initiative, which includes development of the national digital ID program is being undertaken in collaboration with the Government of Japan.[15] The government anticipates that the program will facilitate easier access to government services for those in need.[16]

Law

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Domestic law and policy

The National Digital ID Program, approved by the cabinet in 2024, still in the implementation phase, has approved plans on codification of laws that relate to digital ID.[17] Although there are no laws defining the digital ID yet, the Justice Minister describes it as “a single, secure, and inclusive proof of identity” enabling citizens to access public and private services like healthcare, banking, education.[18]
Further, there is a strong linkage to citizenship as Digital ID and the related services have been envisioned to be accessible to citizens only.[19] However, the Constitution of Fiji mentions that each person, irrespective of whether they are a citizen or not, have equal rights of access to public spaces such as education institutions, transportation, taxis, etc.[20] Furthermore, no other specific provisions have been published yet outlining processes for registering digital ID complaints or dispute resolution.

Data Protection

At this time, there is no specific legislation for data protection or regulations governing the proposed digital ID system, raising concerns about data security, misuse, or unauthorized government access. Currently, Fiji’s Constitution includes the right to privacy for individuals, which encompasses the right to confidentiality of personal information and communications.[21] There are, although, sector-specific laws that penalize the unauthorized disclosure of individuals’ or clients’ information.[22] The laws of Fiji currently do not directly protect personal information and there is no explicit policy yet that addresses digital ID data collection, encryption, or biometric protection.

International Commitments

Fiji is not a party to any international framework, agreement, or treaty that outlines obligations related specifically to digital ID. As a party to the CRC, the Fijian government should reduce the gaps in birth registration and ensure that every birth is registered immediately and that no child is left stateless, prior to the expansion of the National ID.[23] Furthermore, when implementing the digital ID laws, it must ensure that children not born in Fiji but whose nationality cannot be established are provided with a legal identity [24] and those born to stateless parents are provided with a birth certificate, and not excluded in the new digital ID system’s implementation.[25] In implementing this digital ID system, Fiji will have to be careful not to violate the rights of or exclude stateless persons and other marginalized communities from equitable access to essential services, such as rationing, housing, public education and public relief, as guaranteed by the 1954 Convention on Statelessness.[26]

Designed to Include?

The Impact of Digital ID and Legal Identity on Citizenship and Nationality Rights

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Low rates of birth registration have been a significant issue in Fiji, particularly those belonging to the i-Taukei population.[27] Many individuals experiencing statelessness cannot afford the associated fees, which prevents them from being granted citizenship. It is yet to be seen how the appointed committee leading the digital ID project in Fiji will cover the existing gaps of low birth registration rate associated with the CRVS system to enhance accessibility, and the right to identification for more individuals.[28] To have the desired impact, the Fiji government will have to ensure that the implementation does not lead to any exclusion caused by persistently low rates of birth registration.While the digital ID system is not implemented yet, the Fijian government will have to ensure that there are real alternate routes to access the services offered through the digital ID ecosystem available to stateless individuals. This would ensure that the government is not violating the core principles of non-discrimination, dignity, and equal rights as specified in the Fijian Constitution, considering at the current stage, digital ID is envisioned to be awarded only to Fijian citizens.

Another issue which could lead to exclusion once the digital ID system is rolled out is low digital literacy rates, which Fiji is actively working to address to ensure a successful rollout of the system.[29] In addition to further protections from statelessness, new legislation in the country should ensure that digital ID does not become mandatory in law or in practice to ensure that those stateless individuals are provided with alternate equal, adequate, and accessible pathways to access services, and in order to prevent exclusion and ensure that the digital ID users’ data and privacy remain secure and protected.

2.^
‘Fiji Immigration’ (Fiji Immigration Department, 2024) <www.immigration.gov.fj/citizenship-by-birth/> accessed October 2024
4.^
 Centre for Financial Regulation and Inclusion, ‘An Inclusive Digital Identity Platform in Fiji’ (e Pacific Digital Economy Programme 2021) 7 <https://cenfri.org/wp-content/uploads/2021-Pacific-Fiji-digital-ID-country-diagnostic.pdf>
5.^
 Centre for Financial Regulation and Inclusion, ‘An Inclusive Digital Identity Platform in Fiji’ (e Pacific Digital Economy Programme 2021) 7 <https://cenfri.org/wp-content/uploads/2021-Pacific-Fiji-digital-ID-country-diagnostic.pdf>
6.^
 ibid.
7.^
Reserve Bank of Fiji, ‘Press Release No 03 - Update on Fiji’s National Identification (ID) Project’ (Reserve Bank of Fiji, 28 February 2025) <https://www.rbf.gov.fj/press-release-no-03-update-on-fijis-national-digital-identification-ndid-project/> accessed 5 June 2025.
8.^
Reserve Bank of Fiji, ‘Press Release No 03 - Update on Fiji’s National Identification (ID) Project’ (Reserve Bank of Fiji, 28 February 2025) <https://www.rbf.gov.fj/press-release-no-03-update-on-fijis-national-digital-identification-ndid-project/> accessed 5 June 2025
10.^
Ayang Macdonald, ‘Fiji’s digital ID program implementation gets cabinet approval’ (Biometrics Research Group, Inc., 24 June 2024) <www.biometricupdate.com/202406/fijis-digital-id-program-implementation-gets-cabinet-approval> accessed October 2024; Reserve Bank of Fiji, ‘Press Release No 03 - Update on Fiji’s National Identification (ID) Project’ (Reserve Bank of Fiji, 28 February 2025) <https://www.rbf.gov.fj/press-release-no-03-update-on-fijis-national-digital-identification-ndid-project/> accessed 5 June 2025
11.^
Reserve Bank of Fiji, ‘Press Release No 03 - Update on Fiji’s National Identification (ID) Project’ (Reserve Bank of Fiji, 28 February 2025) <https://www.rbf.gov.fj/press-release-no-03-update-on-fijis-national-digital-identification-ndid-project/> accessed 5 June 2025; ‘Fiji’s National Digital Identification Program Will Foster Connectivity and Economic Integration - Alliance for Financial Inclusion’ (22 November 2024) <https://www.afi-global.org/news/fijis-national-digital-identification-program-will-foster-connectivity-and-economic-integration/> accessed 6 June 2025.
12.^
Ayang Macdonald, ‘Fiji’s digital ID program implementation gets cabinet approval’ (Biometrics Research Group, Inc., 24 June 2024) <www.biometricupdate.com/202406/fijis-digital-id-program-implementation-gets-cabinet-approval> accessed October 2024; Reserve Bank of Fiji, ‘Press Release No 03 - Update on Fiji’s National Identification (ID) Project’ (Reserve Bank of Fiji, 28 February 2025) <https://www.rbf.gov.fj/press-release-no-03-update-on-fijis-national-digital-identification-ndid-project/> accessed 5 June 2025
13.^
Lu-Hai Liang, ‘Fiji sets 3-year timeline for National Digital ID project’ (Biometrics Research Group, Inc., 08 October 2024) <www.biometricupdate.com/202410/fiji-sets-3-year-timeline-for-national-digital-id-project> accessed October 2024
15.^
Ayang Macdonald, ‘Fiji’s Digital ID Program Implementation Gets Cabinet Approval’ (Biometric Update, 24 June 2024) <https://www.biometricupdate.com/202406/fijis-digital-id-program-implementation-gets-cabinet-approval> accessed 24 June 2025.
16.^
Ayang Macdonald, ‘Fiji’s Digital ID Program Implementation Gets Cabinet Approval’ (Biometric Update, 24 June 2024) <https://www.biometricupdate.com/202406/fijis-digital-id-program-implementation-gets-cabinet-approval> accessed 24 June 2025
18.^
Ayang Macdonald, ‘Fiji’s Digital ID Program Implementation Gets Cabinet Approval’ (Biometric Update, 24 June 2024) <https://www.biometricupdate.com/202406/fijis-digital-id-program-implementation-gets-cabinet-approval> accessed 24 June 2025.
19.^
‘Fiji’s National Digital Identification Program Will Foster Connectivity and Economic Integration’ (Fiji’s National Digital Identification program will foster connectivity and economic integration, 22 November 2024) <https://www.afi-global.org/old/newsroom/news/fijis-national-digital-identification-program-will-foster-connectivity-and-economic-integration/> accessed 17 June 2025
20.^
Constitution of the Republic of Fiji (2013) s 26 (5) <https://www.laws.gov.fj/Home/information/constitutionoftherepublicoffiji>; DLA Piper, ‘Data Protection Laws of the World: Fiji’ <www.dlapiperdataprotection.com/>
21.^
Constitution of the Republic of Fiji (2013) s 24(1)  <https://www.laws.gov.fj/Home/information/constitutionoftherepublicoffiji>; DLA Piper, ‘Data Protection Laws of the World: Fiji’ <www.dlapiperdataprotection.com/>
22.^
DLA Piper, ‘Data Protection Laws of the World: Fiji’ <www.dlapiperdataprotection.com/>
23.^
UN General Assembly, Convention on the Rights of the Child, 20 November 1989, United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, p. 3, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b38f0.html.
24.^
‘Apply for Fijian Citizenship – Fiji Immigration Department’ <https://www.immigration.gov.fj/apply-for-fijian-citizenship/> accessed 17 June 2025.
25.^
UN General Assembly, Convention on the Rights of the Child, United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, p. 3, 20 November 1989, Art. 7,  https://www.refworld.org/legal/agreements/unga/1989/en/18815 [accessed 17 June 2025]
26.^
Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, opened for signature 28 September 1954, 360 UNTS 117 (entered into force 6 June 1960), arts. 17, 20, 21, 22, 23 <https://www.unhcr.org/ibelong/wp-content/uploads/1954-Convention-relating-to-the-Status-of-Stateless-Persons_ENG.pdf>
27.^
ESCAP et al, ‘Assessing Inequalities in Registration of Births and Deaths’ (ESCAP 2023) 7 <https://spccfpstore1.blob.core.windows.net/digitallibrary-docs/files/ab/ab95d9dca41c5c3fa2fb45eedcc11dbd.pdf>.
28.^
 ‘Fiji sets 3-year timeline for National Digital ID project’ (Biometrics Research Group, Inc., 08 October 2024)
29.^
Ji-seo Kim, ‘Fiji Unveils 5-Year Strategy for National Digital ID and E-Commerce System’ (ID Tech, 4 March 2025) <https://idtechwire.com/fiji-unveils-5-year-strategy-for-national-digital-id-and-e-commerce-system/> accessed 24 June 2025.