Regula SDK update anticipates new ISO/IEC 39794-5 standard for biometric passports

An update to Regula’s Document Reader SDK brings in support for the new ISO/IEC 39794-5 standard regulating methods of encoding and storing facial data and identity verification in electronic passport chips.

A release from the forensics and ID verification firm says it is ahead of the curve on adoption of the latest standard for biometric passport verification, which replaces the previous ISO/IEC 19794-5:2005 standard.

Guidelines from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) say that all document readers and verification systems must be compatible with the new ISO/IEC 39794-5 standard by 2026. Passport issuers are required to fully adopt the format by 2030.

The ISO/IEC 39794-5 standard’s framework for facial image data aims to improve interoperability, processing speed, and facial recognition accuracy across identity verification systems. In addition to a basic facial image, it includes metadata such as facial landmarks, precise eye and hair color, and other biometric features.

Ihar Kliashchou, chief technology officer at Regula, says “the shift to ISO/IEC 39794-5 is a major step forward in improving compatibility and efficiency in biometric verification. With more detailed metadata now embedded in e-passports, identity verification systems can achieve faster processing and more accurate recognition results.”

Kliashchou says Regula’s expertise in RFID chip processing ensures smooth adaptation to the new standard, even before it comes into force. It also means identity verification systems using Regula’s biometric software are protected against compatibility issues during the transition. And since Regula’s document verification software is compatible with most biometric passport readers on the market, it can be integrated without replacing existing hardware.

Travelers increasingly comfortable sharing biometrics for easier travel: Idemia

A new white paper from Idemia looks at how facial recognition technology can be used for both border security and to improve the traveler journey, for a two-pronged approach to modernizing travel.

Travelers like biometrics, as demonstrated by numbers from the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Service Quality 2023 Global Traveller Survey. It found that 66 percent of travelers favor contactless journeys enabled by biometric tech, and 59 percent support digital identities as a replacement for physical passports. Nearly three out of four say self-service and off-airport tools are their preference.

As well, privacy concerns are easing as passenger comfort with biometrics increases: “increasingly,” Idemia says, “travelers understand that, in order to enjoy more personalized services and access the latest, most accurate information, they must consent to the secure capture of their personal data, including biometrics.”

As such, it’s no surprise that facial biometrics are predicted to see the greatest increase in use over the next several years, per the 2024 Biometrics Institute Industry Survey.

Idemia’s paper provides a good breakdown of the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) evaluation benchmarks for facial recognition, the Face Recognition Technology Evaluation, or FRTE (focused on identity verification, measuring algorithm performance in terms of speed, accuracy, scalability, and fairness in 1:1 and 1:N use cases) and the Face Analysis Technology Evaluation, or FATE (focused on facial image processing and analysis, including image quality assessment, age estimation, PAD, and Morphing Attack Detection).

It delves into methods for maintaining biometric data security, including secure multi-party computation (SMPC), verifiable computing, homomorphic encryption and biometric hardware-based security.

And finally, it states that Idemia is “committed to algorithmic fairness and developer Responsibility,” noting that all of Idemia Public Security’s research teams working on facial recognition algorithms are based in France and Germany, meaning the entire process is compliant with the GDPR and EU AI Act, from development to implementation.

“The increasing acceptance and preference for biometric solutions, particularly facial recognition, highlights a significant shift in traveler expectations toward more digitalized processes,” Idemia says. “As airports and border control agencies continue to modernize, the adoption of biometric technologies will be critical in enhancing passenger convenience while maintaining robust security standards.”

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Article Topics

biometric passport  |  biometrics  |  IDEMIA  |  ISO 39794-5  |  ISO standards  |  Regula  |  SDK  |  travel biometrics  |  travel documents