SecureIDNews | Taiwan begins issuing e-passports

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Taiwan has begun issuing Republic of China electronic passports, making it the 60th country to produce the secure passports. The new passports comply with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization. However, the country’s current machine readable passports can still be used until they expire.

The new passport contains a contactless chip and antenna embedded in its back cover, with the bearer’s biographical data and facial image stored on the chip.

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.

Canada readies ePassport launch

Passport Canada CEO Christine Desloges has announced that Canada will start issuing e-passports by the end of next year, according to Citytv.com.

Speaking at a conference at the Montreal HQ of the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization, Desloges declared, “Canada is on track for the full-scale delivery of its e-passport. Next year we will roll out the full issuance.”

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.

Kosovo launches biometric passports powered by Trüb

Kosovo has begun issuing new biometric passports powered by chip technology from Switzerland’s Trüb AG.

The Balkan nation of 1.7 million has contracted the Austrian State Printing House (OeSD) to manufacture the new passport booklets and integrate Trüb’s the polycarbonate film datapages, which contain an ICAO-compliant antenna and chip module that stores the document holder’s personal data, a facial image and two fingerprints.

Jakarta airport opens biometric immigration gate

In an effort to streamline passenger security, Jakarta, Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport has opened the country’s first biometric immigration gate.

Fingerprint biometric identification provider BIO-key International, Inc. and Oakwell Engineering Limited partnered to create the new gate, designed for use by passengers with electronic passports. Passengers submit their e-passports and authenticate with a fingerprint.

New report predicts financial and civil obstacles for biometric ID card

A new report created by the Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law & Social Policy at UC Berkeley School of Law predicts a price tag of at least $40 billion for a mandatory biometric employment verification card for all U.S. workers that would utilize either fingerprint or fingervein scans.

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Taiwan begins issuing e-passports