The Government of the Republic of Benin has launched a new digital passport renewal platform designed to allow Beninese citizens living abroad to renew their passports entirely online. The system, known as ePass, is delivered in partnership with Seamfix and is built on the company’s GovSmart digital identity and government service delivery platform.
According to reporting by Nigerian and regional media, ePass enables eligible members of the Beninese diaspora to complete the full passport renewal process without attending an embassy or consulate in person. The service is accessed through a mobile application and is described as supporting end-to-end remote renewal, from application submission through to issuance.
A central feature of the platform is remote biometric capture using personal devices. Seamfix’s chief executive is quoted as saying that the system incorporates built-in liveness checks, allowing applicants to capture biometric data in a way intended to confirm that the subject is a live individual rather than a spoof or replayed image. While the reporting does not specify whether the liveness detection is active or passive, the inclusion of liveness controls positions the platform within a broader trend toward higher-assurance remote identity verification for government services.
In addition to biometric capture, applicants are able to upload required documents, make payments online, and track the status of their application in real time through the app. Once renewed, passports are either delivered by courier or made available for pickup at a designated embassy, depending on the process followed and the applicant’s location.
The ePass platform is described as operating in collaboration with Benin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Direction de l’Émigration et de l’Immigration. Coverage states that the system is integrated with national identity and immigration databases via GovSmart, enabling real-time backend verification against authoritative government records. The reporting also characterizes the platform as aligned with applicable data privacy and information security standards, though no specific certifications or frameworks are named.
The initiative reflects a wider move by governments to extend secure digital identity and document services to citizens residing outside national borders, while managing fraud risks associated with remote onboarding. Similar programs include Nigeria’s remote passport renewal system, which began rolling out to diaspora populations in late 2024 and expanded to the Americas in 2025.
Sources: The Guardian Nigeria, Business Insider Africa, Vanguard, Punch
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
