HID Global has announced its delivery of a re-deisnged ePassport booklet and document issuance software to Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board (PPA). Known as a pioneering country of electronic identity and services, Estonia recently issued the new passport booklet, making it possible for citizens renewing their travel documents to receive the new ePassport.
“HID is proud to meet the rigorous quality and technical ePassport specifications required by the government of Estonia, which is widely renowned for providing high-caliber electronic identity documents and services to its citizens,” said Craig Sandness, Senior Vice President and Head of Secure Issuance and Citizen ID Solutions.
“The new booklets and supporting software solution simultaneously enhance the country’s ePassport document with industry-leading security features, while capturing the essence of Estonia’s national identity.”
Document holders will now be able to benefit from various features included in Estonia’s unique and improved ePassport. For example, the document’s polycarbonate data page incorporates optically variable inks, two laser images and a window in the shape of Estonia for strong protection against fraud. Additional visual components that reflect the country’s identity include visa pages that showcase six native animals found in Estonia’s natural habitats and UV and embossed features that depict the local climate.
“Estonia took a significant step forward with the new passport project, introducing the identity document which binds the history, present and future of Estonia as a cohesive design and tells the story of Estonia in the world,” said Eliisa Sau, chief expert of the PPA Identity and Status Bureau. “With the project not only was the design changed, but the first ever polycarbonate data page was introduced together with new technology and semi-automated personalisation process.”
HID’s software modules have managed to seamlessly integrate into Estonia’s existing issuance system, enabling polycarbonate data page personalisation, secure chip encoding, encryption, and ensuring the condition of the ePassports. For additional security, the PPA is able to track each booklet from the manufacturing facility to the conclusion of the personalisation process with HID’s inventory software module.
For more information on HID’s citizen identity solutions, click here.
