With a population exceeding 250 million, Pakistan is among the world’s most populous nations and, as such, the demand for international travel documents remains high. Passports in Pakistan are issued by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, under the Ministry of the Interior of the federal government. Three types of passports – ordinary (green), official (blue), and diplomatic (red) – are issued, each valid for five or 10 years depending on the type and requirement.

ID & Secure Document News™ continues its tracking of the intellectual property strategies of big tech companies in the areas of identity and biometric technologies.

Chester Racecourse, acknowledged by Guinness World Records as the oldest operational racecourse in the world, has implemented a digital ticketing system using HID’s Event Management Platform (EMP).

A Korean technology startup has developed what is believed to be the world’s first smartphone-based solution capable of simultaneously capturing facial and fingerprint biometrics using the built-in front and rear cameras of a mobile device. The innovation, created by WINNING.I, enables fully contactless multimodal biometric authentication through a single application, removing the need for additional hardware or multi-step user procedures.

Biometric authentication traditionally relies on single identifiers like fingerprints or facial scans. However, these can be spoofed or altered by ageing, injury, or illness. To counter this, researchers are embracing biometric fusion, which combines multiple biometric inputs — including facial geometry, fingerprints, voice, and even behavioural patterns — to validate identity with greater certainty. A recent article on Data Science Central, explores how emerging techniques in data science are driving these systems forward.

How can the travel industry and authorities ensure efficient yet secure border crossings in the face of rising passenger numbers at airports? New technological solutions with biometric data provide the answer.

Following last month’s exploration of vehicle licence plate identification (a slight departure from the usual focus of ID & Secure Document News™ on securing identities and payments), this month we delve into advances in automotive biometric technology.

The US Army has recently conducted a comprehensive evaluation of its Next Generation Biometric Collection Capability (NXGBCC) system at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

The evolution of smartphone display technology has significantly advanced biometric authentication, particularly in fingerprint recognition. Modern smartphones, such as the recently released Vivo X100s, are at the forefront of this innovation, featuring sophisticated under-display fingerprint sensors that enhance both security and user convenience.

The surge in biometric technology, particularly facial recognition, within the aviation sector is poised to redefine the passenger experience at airports across the world. In this round up, we take a look at a range of automated border control initiatives from across the globe.