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This guide compares Rev. 2023-B and the newer Rev. 2026-A physical Palau ID cards. It helps holders and organizations identify the revision and compare the visible front and back designs. A 2023-B card does not become invalid because 2026-A has been introduced. You can continue using an otherwise valid 2023-B card. Check the card’s expiration date and your current Palau ID status; a revision number does not establish the validity of an individual card. Both revisions may remain in use. Identify your physical card by the Rev. marking on its back. The date you placed an order or received the card does not by itself identify its revision.

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Find your card revision

Look for the Rev. marking on the back of the physical card: This guide concerns the physical card. To identify the card you hold, check its printed revision mark. For the separate PDF download, see Digital ID copy. If your card has another revision mark, contact RNS.ID Support for guidance. This page illustrates the two revisions named above.

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Sample cards

The following images are design references. The SAMPLE watermark marks them as examples and is not a feature of an issued card. Sample names, portraits, numbers, and dates are illustrative; they do not establish a revision’s launch date, the validity terms currently offered, or the status of any individual card. Static images do not reproduce physical security effects.

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Rev. 2023-B

Front Rev. 2023-B front sample, showing abbreviated field labels and the SAMPLE watermark. Back Rev. 2023-B back sample, showing the barcode, signature, revision mark, and SAMPLE watermark.

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Rev. 2026-A

Front Rev. 2026-A front sample, showing expanded field labels and the SAMPLE watermark. Back Rev. 2026-A back sample, showing the revision mark, three-line MRZ, and SAMPLE watermark.

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Main visible differences

This comparison describes the normal appearance shown in the sample cards. The machine-readable zone, or MRZ, is the block of letters, numbers, and < characters on the back of 2026-A.

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Keeping, renewing, or replacing your card

You do not need to replace an otherwise valid 2023-B card solely because a newer design exists. For renewal, follow Renew or extend your Palau ID. A completed renewal includes a newly produced physical card with an updated expiration date. For a lost, stolen, or damaged card, or a printed detail that needs correcting, review Card and shipping and Update personal information. Review the eligibility, address, and price shown for your case before confirming a replacement. If you need help with a lost, damaged, or incorrect card, contact RNS.ID Support before placing another order.

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Information for organizations reviewing a card

Check the revision marking and compare the card with the corresponding design. A different layout from the newer revision does not by itself mean an older card is invalid. The sample images and the presence of an MRZ do not independently confirm a holder’s identity, an individual card’s authenticity, or its current status. Palau Digital Residency is not Palauan citizenship, a Palau passport, or proof of physical residence in Palau. See Palau ID FAQs. Each organization determines which identity documents and formats it accepts. See Use and third-party acceptance. For questions about a design, start with the revision marking and a description of the issue. If identity evidence is requested, follow the secure submission instructions in Contact Support.