Polycarbonate e-passport

From HandWiki
Short description: Biometric travel document
Examples of polycarbonate data pages
Australian passport
German passport
Austrian passport
United States passport

A polycarbonate e-passport is a type of travel document that features a biometric data page made from polycarbonate, a durable thermoplastic material, rather than a traditional paper or laminated paper sheet. Polycarbonate passports are designed to improve document durability, security, and resistance to tampering, by laser-engraving information into the inner layers of the plastic, which significantly enhances protection against counterfeiting and ensures greater long-term reliability compared to traditional laminated pages.[1][2][3]

History

Finland was the first country to introduce a passport with a polycarbonate data page in 1997.[4] Sweden followed shortly after, becoming the first to implement a biometric polycarbonate data page during the early adoption of e-passports. Since then, the design has gradually been adopted around the world.[5]

As of 2019, over 40 countries have transitioned from laminated paper biometric data pages to polycarbonate alternatives in their passports.[6]

Global adoption

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
  •  Australia: Issued since September 2022.[7]
  •  Brunei: Issued since 2008.[8]
  •  Cambodia: Issued since 2014.[9]
  •  Canada: Introduced in May 2023.[10]
  •  Colombia: Issued since September 2010.[11]
  •  East Timor: Issued since 2017.[12]
  •  Hong Kong: Issued since 2007.[13][14]
  •  India: Issued since 2025.[15]
  •  Indonesia: Issued since 2023.[16]
  •  Japan: Issued since March 2025.[17]
  •  Jordan: Issued since 2025.[18]
  •  Macau: Issued since 2009.[19]
  •  Malaysia: Issued since 2013.[20]
  •  New Zealand: Issued since 2009.[21]
  •  Singapore: Issued since 2006.[22]
  •  South Africa: Issued since 8 April 2009.[23]
  •  South Korea: Issued since 2021.[24]
  •  Thailand: Issued since 2020.[25]
  •  United Kingdom: Issued since 2020.[26]
  •  United States: Issued since 2021.[27]
  •  Ukraine: Issued since 2015.[28]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Understanding the Key Differences Between Polycarbonate E-Passports and Regular E-Passports" (in en-US). 2024-08-23. https://azraid.com/understanding-the-key-differences-between-polycarbonate-e-passports-and-regular-e-passports/. 
  2. ↑ "Information about the Next Generation U.S. Passport" (in en). https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/passport-help/next-generation-passport.html. 
  3. ↑ "KINEGRAM for passport protection and passport authentication". https://www.kinegram.com/passports. 
  4. ↑ "Finland Selects Gemalto for Its New Secure Electronic Passport and eID". Jan 22, 2016. https://www.printedelectronicsnow.com/contents/view_breaking-news/2016-01-22/finland-selects-gemalto-for-its-new-secure-electronic-passport-and-eid/. 
  5. ↑ "The Paper vs Polycarbonate Passport Debate An ITW Security Division White Paper – March 2017". https://www.itwsf.com/Portals/0/Documents/White-Papers/The%20Paper%20vs%20Polycarbonate%20Passport%20Debate.pdf. 
  6. ↑ Jacquot, Frederic (October 5, 1996). "How Polycarbonate is Creating More Secure Passport Datapages". https://blog.hidglobal.com/how-polycarbonate-creating-more-secure-passport-datapages. 
  7. ↑ "Australia has a new passport" (in en). 14 September 2022. https://www.passports.gov.au/australia-has-new-passport. 
  8. ↑ "New biometric passport to be launched today". http://www.bt.com.bn/home_news/2008/05/05/new_biometric_passport_to_be_launched_today. 
  9. ↑ Everyday (2014-07-16). "Cambodia introduces new passport with ten-year validity" (in en). Everyday.com.kh. https://www.everyday.com.kh/en/article/27188.html. 
  10. ↑ "Canada unveils new passport design with state-of-the-art security features". Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. 10 May 2023. https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2023/05/canada-unveils-new-passport-design-with-state-of-the-art-security-features.html. 
  11. ↑ "If you are leaving Colombia, check your passport and avoid inconveniences due to not having the document in order.". 24 Apr 2014. https://miami.consulado.gov.co/node/news/7144/preguntas-frecuentes. 
  12. ↑ Thales Group (2017-06-06). "East Timor government goes live with Gemalto's electronic passport solution". https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/markets/digital-identity-and-security/government/press-release/east-timor-government-goes-live-with-gemalto-s-electronic-passport-solution. 
  13. ↑ "New passports to come with security upgrades, creative UV prints" (in en). 1 February 2019. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/2184733/new-hong-kong-passport-come-security-updates-including. 
  14. ↑ "Physical Features and Design of Electronic Passport" (in en). 1 February 2019. https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/residents/immigration/traveldoc/hksarpassport/characteristics.html. 
  15. ↑ "India's E-Passport Revolution: A New Era In Secure And Seamless Travel" (in en). https://www.mondaq.com/india/general-immigration/1626272/indias-e-passport-revolution-a-new-era-in-secure-and-seamless-travel. 
  16. ↑ Directorate General of Immigration (2023-05-04). "Apa Itu Paspor Elektronik Lembar Polikarbonat dan Di Mana Bisa Mengajukannya? Simak Penjelasan Berikut Ini!" (in id-ID). http://www.imigrasi.go.id/berita/2023/05/04/apa-itu-paspor-elektronik-lembar-polikarbonat-dan-di-mana-bisa-mengajukannya-simak-penjelasan-berikut-ini?lang=id-ID. 
  17. ↑ "Passport Design To Be Changed To Combat Forgery ; New Passport Applications Will Be Available Online From March 24" (in en). japannews.yomiuri.co.jp (The Yomiuri Shimbun). 4 January 2025. https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/politics-government/20250104-231162/. 
  18. ↑ Agency (Petra), Jordan News. "Jordanian e-passports to be issued early next September-CSPD". https://petra.gov.jo/Include/InnerPage.jsp?ID=74738&lang=en&name=en_news. 
  19. ↑ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}" (in zh-MO). Gabinete de Comunicação Social do Governo da RAEM. https://www.gcs.gov.mo/news/detail/zh-hant/M19JUrvpXc. 
  20. ↑ Thales Group. "The Malaysian electronic passport is a piece of art". https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/markets/digital-identity-and-security/government/customer-cases/malaysia-passport. 
  21. ↑ "New style ePassport released today". Government of New Zealand. 24 November 2009. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-style-epassport-released-today. 
  22. ↑ "Evolution of Passports" (in en). Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). https://www.ica.gov.sg/about-us/our-heritage/Room/national-registration-identification. "2006: Singapore’s biometric passport (BioPass) was officially launched. The BioPass contained the holder’s unique biometric identities such as fingerprint data, facial image and passport details on a contactless chip. With the personal particulars digitally stored in the chip embedded in a polycarbonate data-page, the BioPass complied with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation for electronic machine-readable travel documents." 
  23. ↑ "South Africans get new high security passport from today". https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/south-africans-get-new-high-security-passport-today. 
  24. ↑ "외교부 여권안내 홈페이지". https://www.passport.go.kr/new/board/data.php?idx=5450&sel=1. 
  25. ↑ Perala, Alex (2020-08-11). "Thales Formally Delivers Thailand's New Biometric Passport" (in en-US). https://idtechwire.com/thales-formally-delivers-thailands-new-biometric-passport/. 
  26. ↑ "Types of British passports (accessible)". 10 December 2024. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/types-of-british-passports/types-of-british-passports-accessible. 
  27. ↑ "Information about the Next Generation U.S. Passport" (in en). United States Department of State. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/passport-help/next-generation-passport.html. 
  28. ↑ "New series of Ukrainian passports in 2015". https://www.catalogueofcurrencies.com/sk/blog3.html#:~:text=New%20series%20of%20Ukrainian%20passports,with%20lines%20of%20changeable%20thickness.. 



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