Key Takeaways:
- ICAO’s new biometric passport standards, using ISO/IEC 39794, will be mandatory by 2026, fully replacing ISO 19794 by 2040.
- Passport data volume increases slightly, and systems must be updated for new biometrics encoding and extensibility by 2026.
- Interoperability tests in October 2023 will prepare travel document systems for forward-compatibility and enhanced security measures.
What is the New ICAO Biometric Passport Standard?
The new method of encoding biometrics in passports, mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is set to introduce significant changes by 2025. This was closely examined during a European Association for Biometrics (EAB) workshop titled “ISO and the New ICAO Passport 2025 Standards.”
The second day of the workshop, moderated by Dr. Uwe Seidel of Bundeskriminalamt, focused on how these changes will affect the ICAO’s 2025 specifications. Seidel highlighted that these updates represent “a major step in changing biometrics encoding.”
What Are the Key Changes in Biometrics Encoding?
The biometric passport remains a machine-readable travel document equipped with an electronic chip. The crucial elements being updated are found in Data Group 2 and 3, where face and fingerprint biometrics are encoded. Currently, ICAO’s Doc 9303 specification uses ISO/IEC 19794:2005, but it will shift to the ISO/IEC 39794 standard by 2025.
“All passport inspection devices must support the new data format by January 1, 2026. Passport issuers can use either format from 2026 to 2030, after which they will have to switch exclusively to the new standard,” Seidel explained. By 2040, ISO 19794 will be fully deprecated.
How Will These Changes Affect Passport Issuance?
According to passport manufacturers, the updates to the biometric passport system should take about a year. The volume of data will increase by less than 5%, easing the transition process.
“Extensibility” was another topic covered during the workshop. R. Rajeshkumar of Auctorizium introduced the ISO 39794-5 Application Profile. He highlighted that, while 19794 and 39794 will run in parallel, inspection systems will rely on tags in Table 44, in line with Doc 9303 part 10. Rajeshkumar also explained the changes in tags and encoding schemes under the new specifications.
Are There Any Tests Scheduled for Interoperability?
Indeed, an interoperability test event is planned for October 16 in Sydney, Australia, following a meeting of SC17 WG3. This event will be open to all registered members of the travel document community.
Olaf Henniger of Fraunhofer IGD discussed the extensible biometric data interchange formats specified in 39794-1:2019. He emphasized the importance of maintaining forward compatibility, noting that “unknown new elements must not cause the system to crash.”
How Are These Changes Future-Proofing Biometric Identity Documents?
To address future-proofing, Dr. Andreas Wolf discussed the features stakeholders might want in upcoming passports. These features include multiple images, 3D images, quality information, and capture device information.
“Implementation of the third generation will be easier compared to the first generation,” Wolf noted. He also reviewed requirements and best practices for face image enrollment.
Will Countries Like The Netherlands Adopt These Changes?
Anouk Cartrysse from the Netherlands’ National Office for Identity Data indicated a new Dutch passport is planned for 2027. In the Netherlands, passports or national ID cards are required for several activities beyond traveling. Therefore, various relying parties must be able to read the new biometric data encoding method. Cartrysse urged vendors to update their systems swiftly to meet the planned timeline.
What Are the Technological Considerations?
Ralph Lessmann of HID Global addressed the technological aspects of the new standards. He discussed the forward-compatibility of ISO 39794 and the significance of well-defined languages. Lessmann stated, “XML is considered readable by humans, whereas ASN.1, used for passports, is machine-readable.”
Challenges like enumerations and fallback methods were also covered. Lessmann suggested that successful testing shows XML could potentially simplify the implementation of new encoding for uses beyond border control.
How Will These Changes Impact Border Control?
Seidel’s and Lessmann’s discussions both touched on the necessity for border control systems to adapt to the new formats by January 1, 2026. The seamless integration of biometric passport systems is crucial for maintaining security and efficiency at borders.
According to VisaVerge.com, adapting to these new ICAO standards will require concerted efforts from passport issuers, inspection devices manufacturers, and border control authorities. The goal is to ensure that all systems are compatible and can handle the increased data volume and new encoding methods.
Further Information
For more details on the biometric passport standards and their implications, please refer to the ICAO Official Guidelines.
The new ICAO biometric passport standards are set to bring about significant improvements in passport security and functionality. By ensuring devices and systems are updated to support these new standards, countries and travelers alike will benefit from enhanced security and a smoother travel experience.
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Glossary of Immigration Terms
- International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): A specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for setting international standards and regulations for aviation safety, security, efficiency, and regularity, including standards for biometric passports.
- Biometric Passport: A passport that includes biometric information such as digital photographs, fingerprints, or iris scans, stored electronically to verify the identity of the holder using automatic recognition technology.
- ISO/IEC 19794: An international standard for biometric data interchange formats, used in encoding biometric information such as fingerprints and facial recognition in travel documents until it will be replaced by ISO/IEC 39794 by 2026.
- Machine-Readable Travel Document (MRTD): A travel document, such as a passport, that contains data in a format that can be easily read by electronic devices, facilitating faster and more secure border control and verification processes.
- Forward Compatibility: The ability of a system or technology to accept input intended for a later version of itself, ensuring that future updates or additions do not render the system inoperable or obsolete.
These definitions aim to help readers quickly understand key terms and concepts related to the new ICAO biometric passport standards discussed in the content.
This Article In A Nutshell:
The new ICAO biometric passport standards set for 2025 will update how face and fingerprint data are encoded, enhancing security. Passport inspection systems must support the new format by 2026, with full implementation by 2030. These changes aim to improve global travel safety and efficiency.
— By VisaVerge.com
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