Government ID, Smart Cards, Identification and Authentication

Saudi Arabia to begin biometric visa program

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Saudi Arabia will begin a biometric visa program in an effort to improve their visa services while also strengthening their national security, according to an Economic Times article. The system, which is expected to begin in 2010, will require a seeker of a visa provide fingerprint samples and a digital photograph.

Officials from the country’s government have already begun seeking out companies to assist them with the setup of service centers throughout the world in major cities to both take care of the issuance of visas as well as the collection of the biometric data.

They are expecting the new system, which builds off the recent implementation of a system that collects biometric information from visitors traveling through their airport, to reduce long lines and delays and airports for the collection of biometric data.

Read the full story here. [end] 

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