Biometric passport

A biometric passport is a passport that has an embedded electronic microprocessor chip, which contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of the passport holder. It uses contactless smart card technology, including a microprocessor chip and antenna embedded in the front or back cover, or centre page, of the passport. The passport's critical information is printed on the data page of the passport, repeated on the machine readable lines and stored in the chip. Public key infrastructure is used to authenticate the data stored electronically in the passport chip, making it expensive and difficult to forge when all security mechanisms are fully and correctly implemented.
Most countries are issuing biometric passports to their citizens. Malaysia was the first country to issue biometric passports in 1998. By the end of 2008, 60 countries were issuing such passports, which increased to over 150 by mid-2019.
The currently standardised biometrics used for this type of identification system are facial recognition, fingerprint recognition, and iris recognition. These were adopted after assessment of several different kinds of biometrics including retinal scan. Document and chip characteristics are documented in the International Civil Aviation Organization's Doc 9303. The ICAO defines the biometric file formats and communication protocols to be used in passports. Only the digital image of each biometric feature is actually stored in the chip. The comparison of biometric features is performed outside the passport chip by electronic border control systems. To store biometric data on the contactless chip, it includes a minimum of 32 kilobytes of EEPROM storage memory, and runs on an interface in accordance with the ISO/IEC 14443 international standard, amongst others. These standards intend interoperability between different countries and different manufacturers of passport books.
Some national identity cards, such as those from Albania, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Saudi Arabia are fully ICAO 9303 compliant biometric travel documents. However others, such as the United States passport card, are not.

Data protection

Biometric passports have protection mechanisms to avoid and/or detect attacks:
; Non-traceable chip characteristics: Random chip identifiers reply to each request with a different chip number. This prevents tracing of passport chips. Using random identification numbers is optional.
; Basic Access Control : BAC protects the communication channel between the chip and the reader by encrypting transmitted information. Before data can be read from a chip, the reader needs to provide a key which is derived from the Machine Readable Zone: the date of birth, the date of expiry and the document number. If BAC is used, an attacker cannot eavesdrop transferred information without knowing the correct key. Using BAC is optional.
; Passive Authentication : PA is aimed at identifying modification of passport chip data. The chip contains a file, Document Security Object, that stores hash values of all files stored in the chip and a digital signature of these hashes. The digital signature is made using a document signing key which itself is signed by a country signing key. If a file in the chip is changed, this can be detected since the hash value is incorrect. Readers need access to all used public country keys to check whether the digital signature is generated by a trusted country. Using PA is mandatory. As of January 2017, 55 of over 60 e-passport-issuing countries belong to the ICAO Public Key Directory program.
; Active Authentication : AA prevents cloning of passport chips. The chip contains a private key that cannot be read or copied, but its existence can easily be proven. Using AA is optional.
; Extended Access Control : EAC adds functionality to check the authenticity of both the chip and the reader. Furthermore, it uses stronger encryption than BAC. EAC is typically used to protect fingerprints and iris scans. Using EAC is optional. In the European Union, using EAC is mandatory for all documents issued starting 28 June 2009.
; Supplemental Access Control : SAC was introduced by ICAO in 2009 for addressing BAC weaknesses. It was introduced as a supplement to BAC, but will replace it in the future.
; Shielding the chip: This prevents unauthorised reading. Some countries – including at least the US – have integrated a very thin metal mesh into the passport's cover to act as a shield when the passport cover is closed. The use of shielding is optional.
To assure interoperability and functionality of the security mechanisms listed above, ICAO and German Federal Office for Information Security have specified several test cases. These test specifications are updated with every new protocol and are covering details starting from the paper used and ending in the chip that is included.

Attacks

Since the introduction of biometric passports, several attacks have been presented and demonstrated.
; Non-traceable chip characteristics
; Basic Access Control
; Passive Authentication
; Active Authentication
; Extended Access Control

Opposition

proponents in many countries question and protest the lack of information about exactly what the passports' chip will contain, and whether they affect civil liberties. The main problem they point out is that data on the passports can be transferred with wireless RFID technology, which can become a major vulnerability. Although this could allow ID-check computers to obtain a person's information without a physical connection, it may also allow anyone with the necessary equipment to perform the same task. If the personal information and passport numbers on the chip are not encrypted, the information might wind up in the wrong hands.
On 15 December 2006, the BBC published an article on the British ePassport, citing the above stories and adding that:
and adding that the Future of Identity in the Information Society network's research team has "also come out against the ePassport scheme... European governments have forced a document on its people that dramatically decreases security and increases the risk of identity theft."
Most security measures are designed against untrusted citizens, but the scientific security community recently also addressed the threats from untrustworthy verifiers, such as corrupt governmental organizations, or nations using poorly implemented, unsecure electronic systems.
New cryptographic solutions such as private biometrics are being proposed to mitigate threats of mass theft of identity. These are under scientific study, but not yet implemented in biometric passports.
A number of people oppose this technology citing religion or forced data collection, describing biometrics as "the mark of the beast".

List of biometric passports

Africa

Algeria: Issued since 5 January 2012. Valid for 10 years for adults, and 5 years for minors. The data page of the passport is from rigid polycarbonate plastic and contains a microchip embedded in which are stored biometric data of the holder including fingerprints, photo and signature. The data is extracted from the chip with wireless RFID technology.
Angola: Issued since December 2025.
Benin: Issued since 2022.
Botswana: Issued since 8 March 2010. The Botswana passport, which features 48 pages, is written in English and French. The first page features a map of Botswana superimposed with wildlife.
Cameroon: Issued since July 2021, costing 110,000 CFA. Valid for 5 years.
Cape Verde: Issued since 26 January 2016, costing €50. It is noted that the scheme will gradually expand to Cape Verdean diplomatic missions in Boston and Lisbon in the future.
Egypt don't issues biometric passport but did remove immigration card
Djibouti: Issued since 2 February 2017.
Gabon: Issued since 23 January 2014.
Ghana: Issued since 1 March 2010 and costing GH¢ 50–100 for adults and children. The passports contain several other technological characteristics other than biometric technology. However the Ghanaian biometric passports do not carry the "chip inside" symbol, which is mandatory for ICAO-standard electronic passports., the application fee for regular 32 page passport booklet is GH₵320 and GH₵550 for regular 48 page passport booklet. The application fee for expedited 32 page passport booklet is GH₵350 and GH₵300 for expedited 48 page passport booklet. To facilitate the application for and acquisition of Ghanaian passports, Passport Application Centers have been set up around the major cities of Ghana, including Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Ho, Sekondi-Takoradi, and in Sunyani. 22 Diplomatic Missions outside Ghana have the mandate as at November 2020, to issue Biometric Passports to Ghanaians who are abroad. Passports issued for applications received starting 31 March 2019 have a validity period of ten years. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has introduced a 48-page passport booklet available from 1 February 2020. In December 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added a chip-embedded passports.
Kenya: Issued since 1 September 2017. Contain fingerprints, facials and signature including other vital information, which is all ICAO compliant.In mid July 2019, a few foreign embassies such as Berlin, Paris, London, and Washington, DC started processing applications for Kenyans in the diaspora. Kenya plans to invalidate old style passports on 31 December 2021.
Lesotho: Date of introduction is uncertain. However, the enabling statute was tabled in November 2016.
Libya: The Libyan government stated that it will start issuing biometric passports of ordinary passports by the end of 2025, although the biometric passports of Diplomatic and Special passports were issued since 2021.
Madagascar: Issued since 2014 and costs 110,000 Ariary. Since September 2014, it is mandatory for Malagasy citizens to depart the country with a biometric passport.
Mauritania: Issued since 6 May 2011, costs US$115.68. Valid for 5 years.
Morocco: Issued since 2008 for trial, and in general since 25 September 2009, costs MAD 500.
Mozambique: Issued since September 2014. The issuance of such passports was suspended 40 days later but was resumed in February 2015.
Namibia: Issued since 8 January 2018.
Nigeria: Issued since 2007 as the first in Africa. The harmonized ECOWAS Smart electronic passport issued by the Nigerian Immigrations Service is powered by biometric technology in tandem with the International Civil Aviation Organization specifications for international travels.Travelers' data captured in the biometric passport can be accessed instantly and read by any security agent from any spot of the globe through an integrated network of systems configured and linked to a centrally-coordinated passport data bank managed by the Nigerian Immigrations Service.
Rwanda: Issued since 27 June 2019, and is in compliance with the new East African Community technical specifications as well as International Civil Aviation Organization. Among the new features include a microchip making it tamper-proof. The Rwandan passport is issued Rwandan citizens for international travel. Rwanda started issuing East African Community Biometric Passport also known as E-Passport in June 2019 replacing the old ones that will only stay valid until June 2021, The new passports are valid for five years and ten years. Ordinary, service, and diplomatic passports are issued.
Sierra Leone: Issued since 1 September 2015 in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organisation. New book design launched at the same time as the switch to e-passport from Machine Readable Passport. Book re-designed again in 2022 and electronic chip upgraded for faster processing of bio-metric data. Currently issuing e-passports for Ordinary, Diplomatic and Service books.
Somalia: Issued since 10 October 2006, costs US$100 if applied inside of Somalia, and US$150 abroad.
South Sudan: Issued since 3 January 2012. The new passport are valid for five years.
Sudan: Issued since May 2009, costs SDG 250, SDG 200 for students and SDG 100 for children. Valid for 10 years, or 7 years for a commercial passport.The new electronic passports are issued in three categories. The citizen's passport is issued to ordinary citizens and contains 48 pages. Business men/women who need to travel often have a commercial passport that contains 64 pages. Smaller passports that contain 32 pages only are issued to children. The microprocessor chip contains the holder's information.
Tanzania: Issued since 1 January 2018. The Bio-metric Tanzanian passport is one of the strongest passports in Africa. It is in compliance with the new East African Community Passport which eases border crossing for east African community member nationals.
Togo: Issued since August 2009, cost then was 30,000 CFA francs. For Togolese residing abroad, the price varies.
Tunisia: The Tunisia ministry of interior stated that it will start issuing biometric passports at the end of year 2016 which did not happen. Following the laws passed in March 2024, it will implement the biometric passport as well as biometric identity card at the end of 2026.
Zimbabwe: The Zimbabwean government launched the new e-passports on 15 December 2021 at Chiwashira Building in Harare.