Israel to collect biometrics of visiting foreign nationals

Identification of foreign nationals is becoming important to prevent identity fraud, where. The Knesset Plenum in Israel has passed a bill mandating the collection of biometric data from foreign nationals to prevent individuals from entering the country under assumed identities.

The bill received approval in both the second and third readings with the support of 17 Members of Knesset, and there was no recorded opposition or abstentions. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for the creation and management of a biometric database for identification and verification processes.

An increasing number of visitors to Israel means the country must adapt its handling of visas, residence permits and border control procedures, the announcement of the legislation says.

“The State of Israel does not have a great deal of information about foreign nationals who enter and stay in it, unlike the information that is available routinely with regard to the citizens and residents of the state,” according to the explanatory notes accompanying the bill.

The government says it lacks information on an estimated 30,000 foreign nationals who have entered Israel without utilizing authorized border entry points and do not possess appropriate identification credentials. Foreign nationals entering the country to work and reside illegally, commit crimes and support terrorism violate Israel’s sovereignty and undermine the democratic rule of law.

The Knesset gave the government and security forces greater access to the country’s National Biometric Database towards the end of 2023, triggering data protection concerns from the EU over a data-sharing arrangement.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  identity verification  |  Israel  |  legislation