Department of State phasing in ePassports

20 February 2006

The US Department of State (DoS) is continuing its phased approach to the issuance of new electronic passports. On 30 December 2005, the DOS began limited production of the ePassports, but now, as part of a pilot program, it is issuing diplomatic ePassports and will extend this to other official passports imminently.

The USA’s passport combines face recognition and contactless chip technology. The chip, embedded in the cover of the passport, holds the same information that is printed in the passport: name, date of birth, gender, place of birth, dates of passport issuance and expiration, passport number, and photo image of the bearer. Previously issued passports without electronic chips will remain valid until their expiration dates.

To address privacy concerns, the DOS has incorporated an anti-skimming device in the passport’s front cover. Also included is basic access control (BAC) technology. According to DOS, the anti-skimming device and the BAC technology, when taken together, will mitigate unauthorized reading of the biometric-based ePassport.

According to a statement released DOS, the Department plans to issue the first full validity US ePassports to the American public later this year and plans to issue ePassports at all domestic passport agencies by the end of 2006.

The Department of State told SDW: “Once testing has ended and a final passport configuration that meets the security and privacy needs of our citizens has been completed, electronic passports will be phased in at all 16 passport issuance locations in the domestic United States.”