Suprema facilitates biometric passport project in Mexico

Suprema Inc., a provider of biometrics and identification solutions, announced that the company will be providing passport readers and authentication devices as a part of the nationwide electronic passport project of Mexico.

The project, steered by the Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE, Ministry of Exterior) of Mexico, aims to develop an electronic passport issuing system for 2.7 million electronic passports across all 32 states in Mexico, including the Federal District of Mexico City. In the future, the SRE plans to expand this electronic passport issuing system to Mexican embassies overseas.

With the initial shipment, the company has provided over 500 units of biometric and passport issuing devices, namely the RealPass-V electronic passport reader, the RealScan-10 live scanner and BioMini fingerprint readers.

The RealScan-10 fingerprint live scanner captures 4-fingers and two-thumbs and will replace the SRE’s existing single-finger readers, improving speed and print quality. Additionally, the RealPass-V passport reader will provide a higher level of security through the passport issuance process and the BioMini fingerprint scanner will enable biometric sign-on at SRE’s nationwide passport issuance stations.

SIASA, Suprema’s partner in Mexico, has supplied the products to the SRE.

Mexico is not the first country to delve into the world of electronic passports. Many countries around the world are now using them, or are looking to implement them soon. According to a SecureIDNews report from earlier this year, 93 out of 193 U.N member states were issuing e-passports at the time, with 21 additional countries ready to deploy the technology in the next 2 years.

Biometric Update’s most recent Biometric Research Note looks at government implementation of eID programs, including electronic passports.

Are you living in a country that has already issued electronic passports? How do you find the experience?

Article Topics

authentication  |  biometric reader  |  biometrics  |  eID  |  ePassports  |  fingerprint scanner