One of the highlights of the High Security Printing™ (HSP) conferences each year is the regional awards for the best ID documents and banknotes, which this year were presented at the HSP gala dinner in Sofia.

In my previous roles within security print-related companies, all the way to my current editorial duties, I’ve witnessed many shifting patterns in the landscape of identity and secure documents.

Since commenting on the state of voter ID at the 2020 US presidential election (see IDN November 2020), ID & Secure Document News™ has followed up with several other stories (IDN January 2021, June 2021 and August 2022) that demonstrate the overlap between ID, technology and politics.

In an increasingly connected world, where patches and updates are delivered to your smartphone on a daily basis, Juliette Thomas and Jérôme Boudineau, from IDEMIA Smart Identity, ask why we need to wait for an electronic ID card to be reissued before we can get an updated operating system. Well now, we don’t!

This month, three new document issues go on record, with the launch of the Macau Electronic ID, the Latvia ePassport and the Greece ePassport.

In a move to enhance security and streamline travel processes, Liechtenstein has introduced a new national identity card for travel and a revamped residence card for EU/EEA/CH citizens.

On 1 December, the Argentine Republic issued a new national electronic identity document. The document is in compliance with international standards, as outlined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Here is a summary of the key features of the newly issued document.

In today’s fast-paced digital world, document authentication is undergoing a significant transformation. Traditional manual verification scenarios, for example at border controls, are complemented by automated processes and self- service kiosks.

The Identity Day (ID Day) Campaign seeks worldwide recognition of 16 September as Identity Day to highlight the importance of having proof of identity.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips presented the Digital Identity Card Bill to the Guyana National Assembly in an endeavour to consolidate the biometric data of each citizen into one card.