Indonesia's biometric SIM registration meets public pushback over inflexible rules

Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi) is rolling out biometric verification for prepaid SIM activation. Since 1 July 2026, new SIM purchases must use facial‑recognition or other biometric checks, replacing the previous reliance on the national ID number (NIK).

The policy has sparked complaints. Users report that the system blocks registration when the same NIK has already been linked to three mobile numbers, leaving families with multiple devices unable to obtain new SIMs. Cases include a resident of Bekasi unable to activate a replacement SIM after losing a phone, and a parent in Bogor who cannot register a child’s SIM because the parents have reached the three‑number limit.

Experts such as Heru Sutadi of the Indonesia ICT Institute call for more flexible rules and tighter enforcement against the sale of pre‑activated SIMs, which some consumers turn to to avoid the biometric step. The ministry says the biometric requirement for new numbers is intended to protect users from identity‑theft and that registration for existing numbers remains voluntary while the implementation is evaluated.