Santo Domingo.- The general director of Passports, Lorenzo Ramírez, reported that the Dominican State will not invest even a single peso in the electronic passport implementation project. This is because the tender has been designed under a payment-per-booklet model, where the supplying company will be responsible for financing the manufacturing of the new travel document and other investments necessary for its development.
“The State will only pay for each booklet actually issued to citizens, guaranteeing that this project does not represent an expense for Dominicans.”said Ramírez.
The official expressed that this innovative model ensures that the investments are assumed by the supplier company, which will have to comply with high quality and safety standards, in a process that has been carefully designed to guarantee transparency and in accordance with international regulations.
He explained that the bidding document has been prepared with the advice of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and has a commission of independent observers of ample professional merit, in order to guarantee the transparency and sustainability of the project.
“The implementation of electronic passport is a crucial step for the modernization of services and the security of citizen data. This document will not only strengthen national security, but will facilitate the transit of Dominicans around the world.”said Ramírez.
The electronic or biometric passport is a global standard that incorporates an identification microchip and multiple advanced security measures that make it difficult to falsify and impersonate citizens’ identities. It has already been adopted in around 135 countries.
During an interview on the Esta Noche Mariasela program, which is broadcast on Color Visión, channel 9, the director of the entity reiterated that they hope to issue the first biometric passport by the middle of next year 2025.
The General Directorate of Passports, under the management of Ramírez, has taken decisive steps to improve the efficiency of its services. Among the measures implemented, the optimization of internal processes stands out, which has allowed us to increase service capacity and improve the experience of citizens.
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