Italy makes world's first electronic passport
December 11, 2003 4:59pm
ROME, Dec 11, 2003 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The Italian government has launched the world's first electronic passport, the local media reported Thursday.
The government said the new passport would revolutionize the
relationship between citizens and authorities, make life easier
for millions of people, and help in the war on terror and fight
against illegal immigration.
According to the report, the passport consists of little more
than a micro-chip inserted into a normal passport, containing what
are called two "biometric" data: the user's facial image and their
fingerprints.
A prototype of the document was presented at the Rome's
international airport Fiumicino Thursday by Foreign Undersecretary
Mario Baccini, Justice Undersecretary Giuseppe Valentino and the
director of airport Fiumicino, Carlo Luzzatti.
"We're the first in the world to come up with this electronic
passport," said Baccini.
The e-passport, which will go into force at the start of next
year, is aimed at the minimum possibility of forgeries and thus
combating global terrorism.
Digital fingerprints and in future retina scans may also be
added to immigrant visas to screen undesirable elements.
Copyright 2003 XINHUA NEWS AGENCY.
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