Kosovo launches biometric passports powered by Trüb
14 November, 2011
category: Biometrics, Contactless, Government
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.
OeSD is also providing Kosovo with a passport personalization center. According to Trüb, the company’s datapages are optically personalized via laser engraving and include a variety of built-in security features.
Kosovo, which issues around 300,000 passports annually, is among the 93 U.N. member states currently issuing ePassports, according to the ICAO.