HID Global®, a worldwide provider of identity solutions, has announced that the Government of Argentina has selected HID Global to upgrade its ICAO electronic passport to a newer generation that will reduce costs, improve security and enhance the reliability of data-reading at border control points.
The Argentine Government is transitioning its electronic booklet from a printed antenna to a new copper wire antenna, which is more reliable, having a stronger bond with the chip holding the traveller’s data, and therefore reducing the failure rate. The vast majority of the ePassports around the world use copper wire antennas.
Supporting stronger security elements, the booklet also features an electronic cover built with a radio-frequency shield. A thin layer of special material disturbs radio communication with the passport antenna when the booklet is closed, impeding it from being read or stolen by people with harmful intentions. It decreases the risk of unauthorised access to chip data when passports are not inspected.