On July 18, 2025, Belizean government officials formally announced the full-scale rollout of the National ID system, describing it as a key milestone in the country’s digital transformation agenda. The decision follows the successful completion of a six-month pilot project involving 500 participants, overseen by the Ministry of E-Governance’s E-Government and Digitalization Unit.
Jose Urbina, CEO of the Ministry of E-Governance, highlighted the significance and ambitious timeline of the project in an interview with the media on July 18. “The initial timeline to complete the national ID project is in a three years’ timeline. Mind you, we are very hopeful because we have done the pilot project that we would be able to accelerate the deployment and begin the enrollment of citizens on this new platform.” He further emphasized the importance of the preparation process ahead. “So, we can be a little bit more aggressive, but we also need to take into consideration the legislation that comes along with the national ID. … We need to also set the foundation… We know that a legal review is required. So that’s going to be one of our priorities, to develop the legislation needed to substantiate and back the national ID.”
The government has stated that the nationwide adoption of the biometric-based digital ID will enhance the efficiency, transparency, and responsiveness of both public and private services across Belize. In a statement, it conveyed the scope of inclusion with a “comprehensive onboarding strategy to ensure that all citizens are registered in a timely and effective manner,” aiming to address a decades-long gap in a unified national identification system since independence.
However, not all residents are on board. Some have expressed scepticism about the new National ID. One island resident remarked, “Nope, we already have these in place, we don’t need another ID.” Another added, “I really don’t see the urgency for this. There are other things that need attention.” A third stated, “This is another way these lunatics want to rob their citizens.”
Currently, Belize has four identification systems: the Social Security ID, driver’s license, voter’s ID, and Passport. The new rollout is considered a significant step forward for a country of roughly 500,000 people. The government aims to streamline identity verification and modernize national infrastructure by 2028.
