Gemalto reveals the future of e-passports

Gemalto, on Thursday 7 September 2017, announced that it has advanced its e-passport technologies. A technology that according to the company is now being used in over 30 different countries.

The e-passport, with its security features, allows for faster, more convenient border crossings. As stated by the firm, the solution is intended to help authorities strengthen homeland protection and improve the traveller’s experience.

The solution is built on the supply of complete travel documents and key components such as polycarbonate data pages, visible and hidden document security features, electronic passport covers and ICAO-compliant embedded software.

Introduced in 2005, the e-passport – which now represents 57 percent of passports in circulation – delivers, as stated by the firm, enhanced fraud protection by incorporating a secure microprocessor that stores the holder’s personal data and digital photo. Electronic passports include a standardised electronic portrait of the holder for facial recognition, which opens the door to a comprehensive range of automated, self-service airport services for passengers. This extends from check-in through to immigration control and boarding, resulting in an enhanced experience on arrival and departure.

The future e-passports
As revealed by Gemalto, a new generation of e-passports will digitally store travel information such as eVisas and entry/exit stamps to support even more efficient immigration control.

The key trends in travel documentation identified by Gemalto include:

• Swift migration to tamper-proof polycarbonate data pages, which dramatically reduce the risk of fraud.
• Rapid growth in secure digital identity credentials. Sensitive e-passport data is stored on the holder’s smartphone to create a secure companion to the physical passport, making life easier for travellers.
• Smart borders/smart airports to grow at a faster pace. Combined with the hundreds of millions of e-passports now in circulation and a strong push behind biometrics (particularly facial recognition), they offer travellers quick and secure cross-border movement.

Edited By: Dean Workman
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