In Timor-Leste, most ministries and agencies are assigning identification number to each citizen for the purposes of record keeping and document issuance. However, different systems under different platforms co-exist and each citizen is assigned multiple ID numbers by different ministers/agencies. These numbers are not crossed checked so that duplications or gaps in the public record are observed. As such, there is no single unique and definitive ID of individuals which can be used online, offline and across various systems.

To address these issues, the Government of Timor-Leste (GOTL) has carried out a preparatory work to launch a Unique Identity (UID) System in cooperation with various bilateral and multilateral development agencies.

The UID is designed to establish a digital identity using a random unique number, biographical data and biometric information. The UID will be issued to everyone with no bar to entry including foreigners, orphans, refugees, and those with no existing ID for validation and authentication purposes. After initial mass registration, it is expected that UID is linked to civil registration.

The system will allow digitization of the economy, enable targeted subsidies, increased financial inclusion, reduce pilferage, fraud and cut transaction costs and also allow citizens and residents to more reliably access a wider range of public and private services. This will also allow delivery of several services remotely during time of COVID-19 making Timor-Leste more resilient for future pandemics.

If successfully implemented, this will be a transformative project in a small island developing states (SIDS)/fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCAS) country benefiting the poorest and most vulnerable population of Timor-Leste the most.