Costa Rica elevates its identity document technology to the next level
Costa Rica elevates its identity document technology to the next level Shift to biometric passports with cutting-edge technology and a stunning design
Stunning visual imagery and state-of-the-art identity document technology make a powerful partnership. Which is why Costa Rica’s new biometric passport combines 60+ security features with stunning artwork. Costa Rica has become one of the first Central American countries to successfully introduce a digital passport featuring such progressive modern ID technology – and it’s visually attractive too. Biometric technology equals more reliability – machine-readable passports are more vulnerable to forgery. What’s more, it’s faster than manual processes, adding up to a more convenient passenger travel experience.
Under an initiative known as Costa Rica’s Biometric Passport Project of the Bicentenary, Veridos and the Latin American system integrator GSI Sertracen were contracted by the General Department of Migration and Immigration of the Republic of Costa Rica to create and deliver ePassports with a polycarbonate data page, the software and hardware for personalization and Veridos CLIP ID solution for color image performance.
Biometric details embedded into data page
State-of-the-art technology provided by Veridos is a central component of the next-generation passport system. When a citizen of Costa Rica applies for a new passport, their fingerprints and facial image are now captured electronically by a local authority, such as the Department of Migration and Immigration, the Bank of Costa Rica, a post office, or a local consulate. The Costa Rican government stores these biometric details. The data is then encoded on a citizen’s passport chip and data page. Not only does this make it easier for border control officials to carry out identity verification, it also makes the passport fully compliant with global identification standards, including those specified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
he data page is comprised of polycarbonate material, making it extremely durable and long-lasting. This also allows security features to be directly embedded into different layers of this all-important passport page, providing it with almost complete protection from counterfeiting attempts. Other innovative security features on the data page include multiple laser-engraved images, a transparent portrait window and a holographic strip.
CLIP ID creates bright, clear image
The passports are the first in the Americas to include a true color photo on a polycarbonate page. This is thanks to Veridos’s CLIP ID high-tech color personalization technology, which provides outstanding color image brilliance for each ePassport holder’s image, thereby improving visual verification. CLIP ID makes the most of both laser engraving and ink-jet printing to create vibrant color photos.
Marc-Julian Siewert, CEO of Veridos, said: “We’re very honored to have been chosen by the General Department of Migration and Immigration to be part of the modernization of their ID landscape. Together with GSI Sertracen, we’ll successfully transform the current machine-readable passport system to a fully-fledged biometric travel document solution. Costa Rica is one of the most advanced countries in Latin America and their passports with our cutting-edge CLIP ID color picture solution will soon reflect that, too.”
The CLIP ID passport technology is already successfully employed elsewhere in the world, including in Bangladesh.
Secure yet visually attractive
In total, the passport’s pages include more than 60 security features, including holographic effects, security threads, relief patterns, and multiple laser images. Some of these features can be seen by the human eye, others can’t.
Not only is the passport technologically innovative, it’s also visually stunning. The intricate artwork, designed by Esencial Costa Rica (Marca País), illustrates four different aspects of Costa Rica, namely its biodiversity, renewable energy, education and peace, and talent. The result is spectacular artwork showcasing the country’s unique plants, animals, and historical monuments.
Veridos has turned every element of this design into a security measure, employing sophisticated techniques such as guilloche and microtext.
The ePassports were rolled out rapidly, with the Costa Rican migration office offering them as of March 2022. Uptake has been high, with 211,000 new biometric passports produced in the first six months.
However, it’s no surprise that demand has been so high considering the benefits for Costa Rican citizens. The ePassports speed up the border control process and make identity verification more secure. Moreover, the ePassport is set to make the travel experience even more convenient under near future plans by the Costa Rican authorities plan to introduce eGates at the country’s airports.
All in all, enhanced security features in a visually attractive format make Costa Rica’s ePassport a success from every angle.