Passport Service poised to introduce biometrics

The UK Passport Service (UKPS) will be using facial biometrics to process applications by the end of next year, as a prelude to the inclusion of computer chips in passports by 2005.

Using a photograph, the technology creates a mathematical comparison of measurements between points on the face.

From the end of 2004 biometrics created from photographs submitted with new passport applications will be compared against a database of known fraudsters, UK Passport Service chief executive Bernard Herdan told Computing.

'It is the same technology that will be used to put chips into passports the following year.

'Once established there will be a three-way integrity check - someone at the border will be able to compare the person in front of them with the information on the chip as well as the photo,' he said.

The scheme is part of a range of plans to use technology to combat fraud, says Herdan.

A key element is the Lost, Stolen and Recovered (LSR) database, which is due to go live on 8 December.

'Data from the LSR system will be shared not only around our own organisation but also with other nations' border controls so anyone trying to travel on a stolen passport could get stopped when they try to use it,' said Herdan.

The information will be distributed using the Omnibase network being rolled out to embassies and high commissions across the world. So far, 90 of the 130 establishments have the service, says Herdan.

'All the big embassies now have access so they can see the date of issue and, for recently issued passports, the picture and signature,' he said.