Biometric passport

This biometric symbol is usually printed on the cover of biometric (ICAO compliant) passports

A Biometric passport, also known as a electronic passport, e-passport or Digital passport), is a special kind of passport that has extra safety features. These passports have a small electronic chip inside. The chip stores special information about the person, like their fingerprint or face, along with regular passport details such as name, birthday, and country. This chip helps to confirm the person's identity, making it harder for someone to use a fake passport or steal someone else's identity.

Electronic passports work by using smart technology that doesn't need to be touched to read the information. This makes it quick and easy for border control officers to check who the passport belongs to when people enter or leave a country, especially at places like airports.

These passports are important because they make international travel safer and more organized. Many countries now use electronic passports to follow international rules about passport safety set by groups like the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). These rules help make sure passports work the same way all over the world and make traveling easier for everyone.

Malaysia was the first country in the world to issue biometric passports. They did it in March 1998. In 2008, Qatar became the first country from GCC to issue a biometric passport in accordance with ICAO’s guidelines.

Related pages

• Qatari passport