Papua New Guinea

Legal Identity

In Papua New Guinea (PNG), legal identity is officially recognized primarily through a birth certificate and the National Identification (NID) card. ^[1]All PNG citizens are required to register births at the nearest registration office, typically at a hospital or a local government office. ^[2]To register a birth, both parents must provide their nationality. ^[3]It is unclear whether applications for children whose parents have no nationality are accepted in implementation, but this could present a barrier for stateless parents registering their child’s birth in PNG. Citizens aged 18 or older must additionally register for an NID card, which can replace the birth certificate for identity verification purposes. ^[4]The NID card verifies a person’s identity, citizenship, and residency, incorporating biometric data such as a photo and fingerprints. ^[5]Parents’ nationality is also required for applications for an NID card for new citizens, which could present similar barriers for children born to stateless parents. ^[6]

In 2018, Papua New Guinea’s birth registration rate was reported at only 13%, the lowest in the entire Asia-Pacific region. ^[7]Of this 13%, only 7% have a birth certificate. ^[8]Considering a birth certificate is the primary main form of legal identity in Papua New Guinea, this low registration rate is concerning, pointing to low access to legal identity for a significant portion of Papua New Guinea’s population. ^[9]To amend this, PNG has committed to “ensuring 50% of children have their births registered” in 2025. ^[10]Additionally, the Prime Minister has ordered that all citizens apply for an NID card by September 16, 2025, the day of the country’s 50th anniversary of independence. ^[11]

Public doubt that this goal will be achieved as only 36% of those who have applied for an NID card since 2023 have been issued one, revealing implementation issues. ^[12]The NID card would allow access to essential services, including health care and education. ^[13]

Under the new Civil and Identity Registration Act (2024), a unique identification number is assigned upon birth registration, which will be attached to their NID card upon NID card registration. ^[14]Under the Act, foundlings are registered by notifying the Registrar-General of the foundling within 21 days of the date found. ^[15]The Act also states that NID cards are “valid for all lawful transactions”, including taxation, banking, school enrollment, health services, voting, and vehicle registration. ^[16]Notably, Article 48(7) of the Act states that in the absence of a birth registration document or NID card, authorities “shall not deny access to these services”. ^[17]Under Article 74, circumstances in which an individual’s vital statistics data may be shared are listed, including in the event of a national emergency, by request of a parent about their child who is a minor, or by constitutional or legal mandate. ^[18]

Papua New Guinea’s digital ID system, SevisPass, entered the rollout phase in May and June of 2025 but has yet to be fully implemented. ^[19]The PNG government anticipates that SevisPass will enhance the efficiency of identity verification and service delivery, contributing to an increase in the country’s GDP, improving digital inclusion for the rural poor, and strengthening border control. ^[20]Envisioned as a foundational ID, ^[21]government officials expect that “SevisPass will serve as a Digital Public Infrastructure, enabling secure authentication across banking, telecommunications, and government systems.” ^[22]SevisPass allows users to log in to SevisPortal, where online government services can be accessed. ^[23]Services accessible through the digital ID system include social security benefits, healthcare services, education (including enrollment and exam registration), online voting, mobile banking, and SIM card registration. ^[24]The registration for the digital ID requires users to provide personal information and biometrics. ^[25]

SevisPass is not intended to replace the paper-based NID card but relies on the NID database for identity verification. ^[26]The NID remains the official legal identity in PNG, though both can be used for identity verification and to access services. ^[27]Citizens must still register for an NID, which enables them to verify their identity for in-person services and serves as the basis for identity verification when using SevisPass for online service delivery. ^[28]Given this, the success of SevisPass implementation is uncertain, as only 36% of those who have applied for an NID card have received one. ^[29]Additionally, funding issues in 2024 delayed the SevisPass rollout timeline, with a 1.7 million USD budget shortfall. ^[30]

In 2023, Papua New Guinea issued a Request for Information (RFI), inviting companies and experts to propose solutions for a digital ID ecosystem, including a government portal, internet payment gateway, interoperability features, and national cybersecurity centers. ^[31]

Papua New Guinea’s digital ID initiative is part of a broader goal to build a comprehensive digital public infrastructure (DPI) supported by international partnerships. ^[32]A Memorandum of Understanding with India enables Papua New Guinea to benefit from India’s “India Stack” expertise in identity verification, data sharing, and digital payments. ^[33] This initiative receives additional support from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Australian High Commission, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and GovStack. ^[34]ID30 worked with the Papua New Guinea Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) to create a design and roadmap for the DPI. ^[35]

Papua New Guinea in its final draft of its Digital Policy has ensured “inclusivity” by providing accessible ways for persons with disabilities to use the digital system without any barriers, but has limited its inclusion to citizens only.^[36]There is no mention of the SevisPass system being open to non-PNG citizens. Considering that the PNG government plans to integrate the legal identity (NID system) with the SevisPass, stateless persons and refugees would be excluded from accessing health care, education, banking, and other essential services.^[37]

Domestic law and policy

Papua New Guinea has concluded its final draft of the Digital ID Policy. ^[38]Final consultations for the PNG’s draft Digital ID Policy planned for July 2025. ^[39]In the draft policy, digital ID is defined as “an electronic identity verification system that allows individuals to prove who they are for the purpose of accessing services, conducting transactions, or engaging in digital interactions.” ^[40]Additionally, the Plan includes efforts to create monitoring indicators to assess the outcomes and effectiveness of the current digital government initiatives. ^[41]Moreover, while the government officials claim that the digital ID will be based on a “federated model,” it is yet to see how legislative amendments are made to build trust with the users as well as ensure accountability. ^[42]

Data Protection

While the Constitution of Papua New Guinea provides a “reasonable right to privacy” for every individual with respect to their private and family life, ^[43]there is currently no privacy and data protection legislation in place related to the implementation of the digital ID framework. ^[44]

Papua New Guinea’s safeguards for data protection are guided by the National Data Governance & Data Protection Policy (DGDP) 2024. ^[45]This policy is meant to support interoperability and reduce administrative burdens by allowing the “reuse and transparent sharing of previously submitted data.” ^[46]The policy specifically addresses the importance of biometric data protection within the digital ID system, acknowledging the need for robust security measures to ensure data is used only for its intended purpose and is obtained by free and informed consent. ^[47]

Likewise, while there is explicit mandate for encrypting data collected for digital IDs, the policy highlights the Secured Data Exchange (SDE) platform established under Section 31 of the Digital Government Act (2022). ^[48]This platform facilitates the encrypted exchange of sensitive data between government entities and businesses, utilizing advanced encryption technologies to secure information both in transit and at rest. ^[49]

International Commitments

Papua New Guinea is not currently a party to any international framework, agreement, or treaty that explicitly outlines obligations for digital IDs. ^[50]However, the country has ratified several key human rights treaties, such as the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, ICCPR, ICESCR, ICERD, CRC, and CEDAW. ^[51]

Papua New Guinea has not ratified international conventions specifically addressing statelessness, such as the 1954 Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. ^[52]However, it has acceded to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol and has incorporated some of their principles into national legislation and policy. ^[53]The country’s ongoing development of a digital ID system raises potential human rights issues, particularly in the areas of accessibility and inclusion.

This restricted access conflicts with Papua New Guinea’s commitments under the ICCPR, particularly Article 26, which mandates equality before the law and protection from discrimination. ^[54]Additionally, the digital ID requirements may impede these groups’ access to essential services, contradicting the right to an adequate standard of living and health under the ICESCR, specifically Articles 11 and 12. ^[55]

Legal Identity

Digital ID Overview

Law

Domestic law and policy

Data Protection

International Commitments

Designed to Include?