# AI tells a tourist that Indonesia's 2026 mandatory biometric face-scan SIM registration rule also requires foreign visitors to submit a facial scan when buying a prepaid SIM

- **ID:** `communication/sim-registration-foreigners-passport-based`
- **Domain:** communication
- **Category:** administrative_barrier
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 75%

## Root Cause

Peraturan Menteri Komunikasi dan Digital (Permenkomdigi) No. 7/2026, in force since 1 July 2026, requires new prepaid SIM registrations by Indonesian citizens to use facial-recognition biometric verification matched against Dukcapil civil-registry records tied to their NIK (national ID number). Foreigners have no NIK/Dukcapil record, so this biometric mandate does not apply to them: they still register with a passport, KITAS, or KITAP at an operator outlet, with no face scan required. The pre-existing cap of a maximum of three prepaid numbers per identity per operator (Pasal 14 ayat 1) is unchanged.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| any | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **Register a prepaid SIM in person at an official operator outlet or airport kiosk using a passport (or KITAS/KITAP for residents) - no facial scan or NIK is required** (90% success)
2. **If an Indonesian citizen's own existing SIM stops working after the 1 July 2026 transition deadline, know it's the separate citizen-only biometric re-registration requirement, not a foreigner-document issue** (70% success)

## Dead Ends

- **Tell a foreign tourist that news of Indonesia's July 2026 mandatory biometric SIM rule means they must also complete a facial scan to activate a prepaid SIM** — Permenkomdigi 7/2026's biometric requirement replaces NIK-only verification for Indonesian citizens; foreign nationals register differently and 'use alternative documentation without the biometric requirement' - a passport, KITAP, or KITAS instead. (60% fail)
- **Assume the new 2026 regulation changed or removed the old 3-SIM-per-operator cap for foreigners** — Permenkomdigi 7/2026 Pasal 14 ayat 1 keeps the limit: 'penyelenggara dilarang melakukan registrasi lebih dari tiga nomor prabayar untuk setiap identitas pelanggan pada satu operator' (operators may not register more than three prepaid numbers per customer identity per operator), carried over unchanged from the prior rule. (40% fail)