According to the House of Commons Library, the UK started issuing biometric passports in 2006. But—
What does a ‘biometric passport’ mean?
A biometric passport (or e-passport) is a paper travel document containing an embedded RFID microchip that holds your personal information (name, date of birth, and nationality), as well as your photograph with facial biometric data coded into it (e.g., the distance between your eyes).
Want to learn more about biometric passports, their benefits, and their purpose? Keep reading.
Difference between a biometric passport and a non-biometric passport
A non-biometric passport is a common type of passport issued up to 2006, where the personal information of a holder was written on the document’s first page, next to the holder’s photograph.
A biometric passport is a newer format that (in addition to the ‘traditional’ written bio page) stores all of the holder’s passport details digitally in a microchip. The data includes:
- Essential personal information (full name, address, etc.)
- Passport photograph
- Biometric facial features data (e.g., distances between your mouth, nose, eyes, and ears)
Biometric passports are issued by countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) and comply with the common standards specified in Doc 9303 on the ICAO site (the International Civil Aviation Organization).
💡 Did you know? In the past, the UK government wanted to introduce a ‘second generation’ biometric passport containing fingerprint data (in accordance with EU standards). However, this idea was rejected in the 2010 Coalition programme.
How do biometric passports work?
When carrying a biometric passport during a trip, most travellers don’t even need the assistance of officers at border control, as e-gates can automatically scan the microchip within the passport.
If these electronic gates aren’t available in the destination country, the immigration official will manually scan the microchip on the passport’s front cover.
The information contained in the microchip will be used to verify the traveller’s identity by comparing it with previous database entries.
Do I have a biometric passport? Here’s how to check
The easiest way to tell if you have a biometric passport is to look at the front cover. Your passport is biometric if there’s a small, gold camera logo at the bottom under the country name.
Moreover, you can look at the date your passport was issued—all UK passports issued after 2006 are biometric.
8 benefits of a biometric passport
A new security system, convenience for travellers… Here’s the complete list of benefits of an electronic passport:
- No need to attend the visa application centre. Now, visas can be digitally attached to a biometric passport, which is especially convenient for the elderly or the disabled.
- Biometric information and personal data stored in the microchip can be compared to the document and its holder.
- The microchip uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), which means physical contact is unnecessary, as radio waves access information wirelessly.
- Identity confirmation is facilitated to officials by contactless reading, avoiding queues at border control.
- Passenger transit at ports of entry is even faster if e-gates are available.
- Sensitive personal information is protected thanks to Public Key Infrastructure (PIK) policies regulating the e-passport system.
- The chances of someone accessing the data stored by the microchip and committing any criminal action are minimal.
- Replicating personal information is more complex than in the case of the physical pages of its predecessor.
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FAQ
What’s a biometric passport?
What’s the difference between a biometric and a non-biometric passport?
What’s the purpose of a biometric passport?
What’s the advantage of a biometric passport?
Where’s the biometric symbol on the cover of your passport?
Sources:
- https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn04126/
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a74a4b3e5274a5294069025/coalition_programme_for_government.pdf
Sylwia is a skilled writer with a BA in English Studies and an active SPJ member. For nearly three years now, she’s been writing captivating articles for international companies, turning her lifelong passion into a career.
