Aftab Anwar Baloch

E-PASSPORT: INTRODUCTION 

  • E-Passport is a Biometric Machine Readable Passport that has an embedded electronic chip either in Polycarbonate page or Outer cover which contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity/ Data originality of Passport holder.
  • Pakistan e-Passport contains Microchip (containing Data and biometrics of Passport holder as per ICAO Standards) embedded within Polycarbonate Data Page, with laser engraving of Applicant Data and backed by Public Key infrastructure (PKI) which makes fool proof active verification and authentication.

SWITCHING TO E-PASSPORT

  • Global Trend / International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) compliance
  • Enhanced Security features of e-Data page
  • Thwart counterfeit/ Forgery/ Tempering
  • Ease of Service (e-Gates)
  • Authenticate data through readable chips
  • Improve credibility of passport

LAUNCH OF E-PASSPORT PROJECT

  • E-Passport was inaugurated on 30th March 2022 by then Honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan.
  • DGI&P after getting live on 3rd October 2022 has issued 185 Diplomatic and 6400 Official e-Passports to Government Dignitaries, Diplomats and Government officers.
  • Sample e-Passports along with CSCA Public certificate for proper validation have been circulated through Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Foreign Missions/ Embassies.

 WAY FORWARD

  • E-Passport is a pilot project (1st Phase for Official and Diplomatic Categories issuance)
  • PC-1 for purchase of New Personalization Machines is submitted to Ministry of Interior for CDWP approval with an estimated financial outlay of 2959.438 Million Rs. on 10th February 2023.
  • Integration with FIA/Border Control for e-Gates Facility and ICAO. (Future Upgradation)

SECURITY FEATURES OF E-DATAPAGE

  1. Guilloche Printing
  2. Offset Microtext
  3. Deliberate Errors
  4. Linewidth Modulation
  5. Relief Printing
  6. Rainbow Printing
  7. Optically Variable Ink (OVI)
  8. Diffractive Optically Variable Image Device (DOVID)
  9. UV Printing
  10. Multicolor UV Image
  11. Raster Printing
  12. Secure Hinge
  13. Infrared Transparent
  14. Relief Embossing and Secure Surface
  15. Multiple Laser Image (MLI)

SECURITY FEATURES (FRONT SIDE)

SECURITY FEATURES

  1. Mixed security links
  2. High secure multi-layer construction without any kind of glue
  3. IR Transparent/absorbent ink
  4. Line width modulation
  5. Relief pattern
  6. Distorted background pattern
  7. OVI-optical variable ink (gold to green)
  8. Modulated microtext
  9. MLI-multiple laseer image
  10. Random wavy line
  11. Customized screen pattern
  12. Rainbow printing
  13. Delibarate spelling mistake (Inverted “C”)
  14. Guilloche printing
  15. DOVID
  16. Raster printing (dot structure printed pattern)
  17. 3D design relief
  18. Delibarate spelling mistake (Inverted “K”)

GUILLOCHE PRINTING

  • Guilloche pattern is fine intricate design consisting of interlaced continuous lines arranged in geometric patterns.
  • Security printing composes designs of guilloches or of other fine line patterns, with the aim of raising the barrier for re-origination and reproduction. They are often combined with rainbow printing.
  • Islamic Geometric pattern along with fine intricate line pattern of “Islamic Republic of Pakistan”.

OFFSET MICRO SET

  • Micro-text is normal text with very small size, typically 200-300 micrometers in height. It is barely perceptible to the eye and requires a magnifier or a microscope for reading Micro-text.
  • Repetitive continuous micro-text “Islamic Republic of Pakistan”.

DELIBERATE ERRORS

  • Defects or errors of some kind are added to high security ID documents e.g. Passports in order to use them as security elements. Typically these are typing errors or errors in a printed shape in an area, where the same kind of text or shape is repeated.
  • Inverted “C” in Republic and Inverted “P” in Pakistan of microtext.

LINE WIDTH MODULATION

  • Line width modulation is a technique that creates a line pattern that can be viewed by the naked eye from an arm’s length distance. This effect is normally on the background of the security printing artwork. It is generated with high security design software.

RELIEF PRINTING

This technique that deviates parallel printed lines from each other to create a “three-dimensional” impression.

RAINBOW PRINTING

Rainbow effect is an integral part of all secure background printing. In rainbow printing the colors change smoothly and Subtly from one color to another along a single printed pattern.

OVI (OPTICALLY VARIABLE INK)

OVI (Optically Variable Ink) printed image changes its color depending on the viewing angle and therefore cannot be copied or scanned.

OVI (OPTICALLY VARIABLE INK) FROM GREEN TO GOLD COLOR

DIFFRACTIVE OPTICALLY VARIABLE IMAGE DEVICE (DOVID)

  • A holographic element (metallic or transparent) embedded inside polycarbonate Datapage. It can consist of different features/effects which can be verified by tilting or rotating the document and by using different magnifications (bare eyes, loupe, and microscope).
  • The picture of the citizen has to be protected by this holographic element.

UV PRINTING

  • Ultraviolet (UV) colors are not visible in normal light, but due to a fluorescing effect they become visible when illuminated with a UV light source of 365 nm. These colors can be used separately or mixed with visible colors to improve the security of the background printing.
  • UV ink to be combined with rainbow printing, thus enhancing the security of this feature.

MULTI-COLOR UV IMAGE

  • Multi-color UV image is the image with high brilliance and excellent color reproduction. The multi-color images comprise UV fluorescent inks with specific color separation. The colored images to be invisible under normal daylight and turn into brilliant true-color images with excellent color reproduction under 365 nm UV exposure.

RASTER PRINTING

  • Raster is an element made out of specific dot shape or letters. Image is created by thickness and density variation.
  • Specific printing raster to be embedded within the design of the printing.  Raster printing is used together with features like line width modulation in order to create specific designs that cannot be reproduced.

SECURE HINGE

The hinge should be protected by security features allowing clear tamper evidence if any attempt of removing the data page is done.

INFRAREDABSORBENT/ TRANSPARENT INK

Infrared absorbent / transparent inks look the same under normal light. They are both visible for the human eye. When looking with a special IR light source, only IR absorbent inks are visible.

RELIEF EMBOSSING AND SECURE SURFACE

Secure Surface: Combination of diffractive elements, high positive embossing, light reflection, micro text in one element, up level 2 security to further protect the surface of the polycarbonate card.

MULTIPLE LASER IMAGE (MLI)
MLI (Multiple laser Image): Containing photo and other variable data. This is done at personalization level.

The writer is Customs, Tariff and Trade Expert

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