Madagascar has begun collecting citizens’ biometric data as the first operational step toward issuing new digital identity cards under the Civil Registration and Identification Reform (RECI) programme, implemented with support from the World Bank. Enrolment centres have opened in parts of the capital, Antananarivo, including a site at the University of Antananarivo, where residents aged 18 and over can register.

A new policy brief led by Europol under the EU Innovation Hub for Internal Security examines how biometric performance is independently evaluated in Europe and what technical building blocks would be needed to establish an EU-run capability comparable to the large-scale programmes operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the US.

Lengthening security queues at US airports are driving renewed consumer demand for paid private-sector biometric identity services that can reduce time spent at identity-check points. Business Insider reports a sharp increase in interest in CLEAR, a paid biometric lane service, as disruption spread across major airport hubs.

Mexico is preparing to scale up a biometric version of its Unique Population Registry Code (CURP), adding biometric identifiers to a credential that already underpins most administrative processes in the country. The updated CURP keeps the familiar 18-character code but incorporates fingerprints, a facial photograph, an iris scan and an electronic signature to support stronger identity verification.

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

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.

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.