SecureIDNews | U.S. Government to eliminate registered traveler fee

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has announced that they will be eliminating the $28 fee associated with signing up for the Registered Traveler program.

The program, currently operating with roughly 135,000 travelers registered in the 19 airports that have adopted it, enables a traveler to get through security lines quicker at airports by giving personal and biometric information for a comprehensive background check to the TSA.

The removal of the fee is due to the current security assessments had large overlaps with the no-fly list already in place and conducted on all travelers when they fly. The remaining elements of the security assessment are not believed to be essential threats to flight security and will therefore not be required.

Morpho contracted for long-term service for Australian border entries

Morpho announced that Australia’s Customs and Border Protection Service signed a five year agreement for service of the SmartGate automated biometric security checkpoint solution.

The SmartGate technology operates in real-time utilizing facial recognition hardware that compares the captured data of a traveler to the data contained on the chip embedded on his e-passport. Australian Customs and Border Protection Service says that implementation of Morpho’s solution has proven to be a successful way for Australian Border Protection agents to cope with growing traveler numbers while improving traveler experience at borders and maintaining the high-levels of security they demand.

Concerns mount over new Canadian biometric programs

Privacy advocates in Canada have been raising concerns over the risk involved in two new biometric programs from the government that result in the sharing of private biometric data with other countries’ governments and possibly private corporations, according to an Embassy Magazine article.

GPO produces credentials for Super Bowl

The U.S. Government Printing Office designed and printed an FBI special events credential that was used at Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis by public safety personnel.

After long delays, Algeria launches biometric passports

After a nearly three-year delay, the Algerian government has finally launched its biometric passport program.

Magharebia reports that the biometric passports, which contain a contactless smart card chip that holds a digitized photo, fingerprints and signature, were supposed to be released in 2009. But the documents were delayed due to complexities with the operation of the project and the need to thoroughly research and analyze other countries’ experiences with biometric passports.

Homeland Security's Global Entry expanding

Biometrics enable expedited border screening

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Global Entry program is expanding enabling enrolled U.S. citizens to enjoy expedited screening when returning from travel abroad to a number of domestic airports. The program also makes them eligible to participate in similar programs at foreign airports.

Maharashtra introduces smart cards for transit

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), the state run bus service in Maharashtra, India, has adopted a smart card ticketing system to replace its existing paper passes for transit buses.

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U.S. Government to eliminate registered traveler fee