The Electronic Passport Forum conference will review the status of deployments worldwide, focusing closely on Europe.

The issuing of machine-readable travel documents will take place in three distinct waves – first ePassports, then National IDs and finally Visas - and 2006 will see the creation of the infrastructure to support this major shift. Such a revolution could be viewed merely as a consequence of the mandatory implementation of a relatively narrow project, but in reality the introduction of electronic travel documents worldwide will pave the way towards the much broader market penetration of RFID and biometric technology in the areas of citizen ID and eGovernment projects.

ePassports As we move towards a more digitally secure world, technology advancements will also impact the way we travel. While today’s passports provide poor identification, tomorrow’s passports will capitalize on existing technology to enhance global border control and homeland security. The three cornerstone features of the ePassport issuance process are digital identity, biometrics and PKI.

National IDs Although over 80% of the twenty-five European Union Member States already have some form of identity card scheme in place, very few are based on electronic cards. However, the trend towards this form of technology is becoming ever more apparent and numerous European Union members are either already in the process of introducing a biometric-based system or are at least considering doing so.

Visas Visas allow a state complete control over entry authorization. In much the same way as with electronic passports, the use of biometrics at border crossings is expected to speed up the flow of people while enhancing security by making it easier to link the visa holder with the visa’s rightful owner. In addition, before the document is issued, an applicant’s biometric identifier can be screened against watch lists to check for eligibility.

4 Hot Topics As the first electronic MRTDs (Machine Readable Travel Documents) reach travelers’ pockets, the hot issues that will be addressed at this year’s Electronic Passport Forum are: Security   Anti-counterfeiting has always been and will continue to be an issue with every credential produced by governments. Security features raise the bar for fraudsters, who tend to follow technological evolution closely. But the fraud problem is not only technical. There are many other forms that need to be prevented, such as the multiple request of ID documents, multiple use, asylum seeker misuse, and so on. Privacy   An issue that tends to blow hot and cold in terms of its topicality but which will certainly be very relevant this year, as the infrastructure for electronic passports is deployed and projects go live. As millions of people are on the verge of being issued electronic MRTDs, these concerns are likely to re-surface and attract the attention of the media and privacy advocates. Harmonization   The issue of harmonizing different procedures is emerging as next-generation worker permit cards, immigration cards, green cards, driver’s licenses and health cards go live. The Electronic Passport Forum will discuss how to simplify identity verification processes by combining different functionalities into multi-application citizen identification credentials. Interoperability   Still an issue in the area of ePassports, where governments from across the world must verify that the chosen technology works in the real world. In the area of visas, interoperability is not a problem outside of Europe, as their use is country specific. However, it will be an issue in the EU, as the European border control authorities will need to be able to read visas issued by all member states.