Passports to be fitted with biometric chips

The UK Passport Service (UKPS) plans to put biometric chips into passports by 2005.

The agency also intends to develop a passport card, improve electronic applications and roll out new databases to improve security, according to its Corporate and Business Plan 2003-2008, released this week.

The UKPS says it will incorporate a biometric feature within all passports issued. The agency is to run a six-month trial with a systems integrator to 'evaluate issues around biometric capture using iris, facial recognition and fingerprint to support the passport card development programme.'

According to its list of main projects, 'biometrics/chip in passport book' is due to be delivered in 2004-5.

The UKPS also says that, subject to demand, it expects to launch a passport card in 2005 containing 'up-to-date security and fraud prevention features.'

The agency says this has other implications for how it manages citizen data.

'The proposed introduction of a number of initiatives such as passport cards requires the UKPS to examine how it stores data on passport holders, linked in part to the IT strategy review. The feasibility of storing data on a person-by-person rather than a passport-by-passport basis will be looked at early in the life of this plan.'

The UKPS plans to launch a new online application system, integrated with its back office processing. At the moment, passport applications received via the website are only partly electronic - the complete form has to be printed and returned to the customer for signature.

An 'Omnibase' global database of all passports issued will be created, along with a global lost, stolen and recovered passport database which is due by the end of this year.

The UKPS also wants to extend the sharing of data with other government agencies and the private sector. 'Data sharing will enable existing identity validation processes to be improved, with stolen identities being more easily recognised,' it said.