Electronic passport issuing to start 2015

2015 has been set by the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control in the internal affairs ministry as the target for the roll-out of electronic passports using information gathered from the national identity cards.

The new passports will replace the existing machine-readable ones.

The new passports will meet standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the East African Community and bolster internal security said Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, the internal affairs minister.

He said this while addressing a two-day workshop attended by Internal Security Organisation operatives and representatives from the ministries of internal affairs, foreign affairs and ICT at Ridar Hotel, Seeta.

The e-passport is the same as a regular passport with the addition of a small contact-less integrated circuit (computer
chip) embedded in the back cover.

The chip securely stores the same data visually displayed on the photo page of the passport, and additionally includes a digital photograph. It can also include medical, traffic, financial and other information.

Burundi and South Sudan have already upgraded their passports to e-passports. Several countries in Europe, America,
Asia and Latin America have long adopted e-passports.

Via The New Vision