Sat, 08/29/2009 - 23:22 — Dunastes (not verified)
Passport or Port Pass
It is my understanding that the Certificate of Live Birth
#?

A certified copy of the Certificate of Live Birth can be obtained from the government by written request.
Is anyone else able to verify this?

didnt think we needed passport to go nz from oz

regards hindin

reply
Thu, 05/14/2009 - 17:17 — freemanayres
Freeman Passport?!
Re: Common Law Right to International Travel

Postby freemanayres on Thu May 14, 2009 7:12 pm

Ok, thoughts on this please?

The Printing of Documentation - Common Law Right To Int Travel
Though I believe the best way would be to sail under one's own flag and simply ignore the checks,
it would seem that there is a much simpler, though more convoluted manner in which to accomplish this, as freedom of travel is a right of God.

A simple declaration of sovereignty in combination with a recognizable seal for the Freeman would in effect create a body of Human Beings acting in voluntary contract as a veritable State. Under this non-incorporated State, all member beings would be given, without condition save personal responsibility for all actions and resulting effects, a simplified credential.

In essence, let those who would be free simply declare themselves sovereign by the abolition of ties to incorporated entities, and let a simple, open contract be drafted that these Freemen might act in commerce with other sovereign powers on equal footing.

Do not the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle us to this end?

Please speak with me on this matter

SpencerDuane @ gmail.com

reply
Wed, 05/20/2009 - 00:52 — Anonymous
Great Idea
Hi Freemanayres,

I don't have much to offer (i don't think). I have only recently just become aware of this world and to be honest and i am still quite overwhelmed. I do however love your idea of the port pass.. considering the normal reaction of many is to ask for ID of some sort. It could certainly create inquiry which would/could help to grow awareness of truth.

I have been reading Thomas Anderson which i obtained via Adam's site. I am very much in the learning phase.. Might i suggest you look-up mark mcmurtrie, if anybody knows the workings of Australia and its history, he does. He might be able to assist you in your quest to get to Perth.

Good Fortune.

reply
Wed, 08/26/2009 - 04:28 — GlobalMan (not verified)
This is a little late....but
This is a little late....but perhaps the world passport would work. I have just ordered mine and I will see how it goes.

http://www.worldservice.org/docpass.html

reply
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Re: West Jet Forum
... smart card issued to airport workers). IMPORTANT: The name on the identification that is provided must match the name on the boarding pass. Valid passports are required for all international travel ( Not Drivers license, passports) and all other rules for flights to the United States and other ...by Chizo
June 26th, 2009, 7:33 am

Forum: General Discussion
Topic: West Jet Forum
Replies: 111
Views: 2042 Jump to post
Re: West Jet Forum
... flag or not ~you not going to solve the problem by shutting yourselves (Americans or otherwise) in to cDub; are you kidding if government issued passports can survive a plane crash into a 110 story building and the subsequent fall of 110 floors ontop of it I gotta make myself a suit out of them, ...by Patrick
June 26th, 2009, 4:46 am

Forum: General Discussion
Topic: West Jet Forum
Replies: 111
Views: 2042 Jump to post
Re: West Jet Forum
... the gaining of identification. in fact i would go so far as to say there is less unlawful id out there that has been notarized than there are fake passports. and we are trying to go even further by seeing to it the members of our society are held accountable for any maleficence in our actions or ...by bmxninja357
June 24th, 2009, 9:12 pm

Forum: General Discussion
Topic: West Jet Forum
Replies: 111
http://www.worldfreemansociety.org/foru ... rts#p12418
Views: 2042 Jump to post
Re: Common Law Right To Travel Internationally
... strawman identities Under Private necessity in my claim of right.. in Common Law I use their passing of port in a private capacity I still use my passports for now... The only thing I got completely rid of was my bank accounts credit cards and Drivers licenseby Brian-T: Collins
May 25th, 2009, 3:50 am

Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Common Law Right To Travel Internationally
Replies: 12
http://www.worldfreemansociety.org/foru ... rts#p10080
Views: 310 Jump to post
The situation in England and Wales
http://www.worldfreemansociety.org/foru ... orts#p7415
... National Insurance number/don't register your offspring, and step outside of "Society" are you then unable to obtain medical care or passports to travel? Many thanks for any help. Uni.by uniJ00$
April 5th, 2009, 3:03 pm

Forum: General Discussion
Topic: The situation in England and Wales
Replies: 5
Views: 183

darn i forgot link
http://www.loveforlife.com.au/node/6560

edited for main members forum
but thats getting a bit full
and possably a new title/topic linked to passp[ort needed

abnyhow....was listening to robs latest vidio
he mentioned...laissez-passer ...was an idea being considered..

so here is some research
links at end
and some extra pasport histry
might take two posts

^definition
laissez-passer (le sā pȧ sā′)

noun

a pass authorizing access to a place, travel in a country, etc.
Etymology: Fr, let (someone) pass
Webster's New


LAISSEZ PASSER
Pronunciation (US):

Dictionary entry overview: What does laissez passer mean?

• LAISSEZ PASSER (noun)
The noun LAISSEZ PASSER has 1 sense:

1. a document indicating permission to do something without restrictions


Familiarity information: LAISSEZ PASSER used as a noun is very rare.^



Dictionary entry details



• LAISSEZ PASSER (noun)



^Sense 1 laissez passer


Meaning:

A document indicating permission to do something without restrictions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents


Synonyms:

laissez passer; pass

Context example:

the media representatives had special passes

Hypernyms ("laissez passer" is a kind of...):

permission (approval to do something)^



Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "laissez passer"):

boarding card; boarding pass (a pass that allows you to board a ship or plane)

hall pass (written permission from a teacher for a student to be out the classroom and in the halls of the school)

ticket-of-leave (a permit formerly given to convicts allowing them to leave prison under specific restrictions)




A travel document is an identity document issued by a government or international treaty organization to facilitate the movement of individuals or small groups of persons across international boundaries.

Travel documents usually assure other governments that the bearer or bearers may return to the issuing country and are issued in booklet form to allow other governments to place visas as well as entry and exit stamps in them.

One of the most common travel documents is a passport, which usually identifies the bearer as a citizen or national of the issuing country.[1] Currently international travel documents are issued under the United Nations Convention Travel Document (UNCTD).

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe has also adopted the new Travel Document Security Programme which seeks to "aim to comply fully with the minimum security standards for the handling and issuance of passports and other travel documents elaborated by ICAO".[2]

Contents [hide]
1 Laissez-Passer
2 Other types of travel documents
2.1 United States travel document
3 See also
4 External links
5 References


[edit] Laissez-Passer

Israeli Laissez-passer issued to Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem and Druze from the Golan HeightsA laissez-passer (from the French let pass) is a travel document issued by a national government or an international treaty organization. When issued by a national government a laissez-passer is often for one-way travel to the issuing country. When issued by an international treaty organization it is often for employee travel on official business[3].

Some national governments issue laissez-passers to their own nationals as emergency passports. Others issue them to people who are stateless, who are unable to obtain a passport from their own government or whose government is not recognized by the issuing country.

The United Nations (and the International Labour Organization) issue laissez-passer to officials and members of the UN, specialized agencies as well as to several international organizations. The laissez-passer are also issued to their families for official use. The U.N. laissez-passer is similar to a passport, and is widely recognized worldwide, although some countries will not accept a U.N. laissez-passer as sufficient to gain entry. A U.N. laissez-passer does not generally confer diplomatic immunity, but may confer limited immunities and privileges[3].

Historically, laissez-passer were commonly issued during wartime and at other periods, literally acting as a pass to allow travel to specific areas, out of war zones or out of the country for various officials, diplomatic agents, or representatives or citizens of third countries. In these contexts, laissez-passer would frequently include quite specific and limited freedom of movement. The form and issuing authority would be more or less standardized depending on the circumstances.

An example is when in the early 1950s, the Iraqi government granted permission to its 120 thousand Jewish citizens to leave (Operation Ezra and Nehemiah) conditional on their renouncing their citizenship and leaving behind all their properties and assets. The travel document that was issued was the laissez-passer since an Iraqi passport was no longer possible[citation needed].

[edit] Other types of travel documents


1951 Convention travel documents are passport-like booklets
issued by national governments to refugees under the 1951 Convention
Relating to the Status of Refugees.

1954 Convention travel documents are similar documents issued to stateless persons
under the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons.

^Alien's passports and certificates of identity are passport-like booklets issued by national governments to resident foreigners, other than those issued under the 1951 and 1954 conventions mentioned above. However, some governments issue certificates of identity to their own nationals as emergency passports.^

Taiwan Compatriot Entry Permit, Home Return Permit, Exit & Entry Permit (Republic of China), Hong Kong Re-entry Permit, and Entry Permit of Mainland Residents to the Taiwan Area: the specific travel documents for Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau's citizens to mutually travel among these places due to their special mutual political status
.
[edit] United States travel document
A United States travel document may also be used as a:[4]

^Reentry Permit - A reentry permit allows a permanent resident or conditional resident^ to apply for admission to the United States upon return from abroad during the permit's validity, without having to obtain a returning Resident Visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate.

Refugee Travel Document - A refugee travel document is issued to a person classified as a refugee or asylee, or to a permanent resident who obtained such status as a result of being a refugee or asylee in the United States. Persons who hold such status must have a refugee travel document to return to the United States after temporary travel abroad unless he or she is in possession of a valid Advance Parole Document. A refugee travel document is issued by the CIS to implement Article 28 of the United Nations Convention of July 28, 1951
.
Advance Parole Document - An advance parole document is issued solely to authorize the temporary parole of a person into the United States. The document may be accepted by a transportation company in lieu of a visa as an authorization for the holder to travel to the United States. An advance parole document is not issued to serve in place of any required passport. A permanent resident whose travel is on the order of the United States government, other than an exclusion, deportation, removal or rescission order

extensive links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biometric_passport
^Biometric passport
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia^
Jump to: navigation, search

Countries with biometric passports:
Has biometric passports

Only for diplomats

Will have in the near future
Symbol for biometric passports, usually printed on the cover of passports
The contactless chip found in British passportsA biometric passport, also known as an e-passport or ePassport, is a combined paper and electronic passport (hence the e-, as in e-mail) that uses biometrics to authenticate the identity of travelers. It uses contactless smart card technology, including a microprocessor chip (computer chip) and antenna (for both power to the chip and communication) embedded in the front or back cover, or centre page, of the passport. Document and chip characteristics are documented in the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Doc 9303[1][2][3].

The passport's critical information is both printed on the data page of the passport and stored in the chip. Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is used to authenticate the data stored electronically in the passport chip making it virtually impossible to forge.

The currently standardized biometrics used for this type of identification system are facial recognition, fingerprint recognition, and iris recognition. These were adopted after assessment of several different kinds of biometrics including retinal scan. The ICAO defines the biometric file formats and communication protocols to be used in passports. Only the digital image (usually in JPEG or JPEG2000 format) of each biometric feature is actually stored in the chip.

The comparison of biometric features is performed outside the passport chip by electronic border control systems (e-borders). To store biometric data on the contactless chip, it includes a minimum of 32 kilobytes of EEPROM storage memory, and runs on an interface in accordance with the ISO/IEC 14443 international standard, amongst others. These standards ensure interoperability between different countries and different manufacturers of passport books.

^Note that the USA Passport card is not a biometric passport.^ The passport card does not follow the ICAO's Doc 9303, can only be used in a limited number of countries and uses a simple RFID chip instead of the contactless smart card technology that is used for biometric passports. Contactless smart card technology includes a microprocessor, data access control, communications security and other functionality as programmed.

[edit] Data protection
Biometric passports are equipped with protection mechanisms to avoid and / or detect attacks:

Non-traceable chip characteristics. Random chip identifiers reply to each request with a different chip number. This prevents tracing of passport chips. Using random identification numbers is optional.
Basic Access Control (BAC). BAC protects the communication channel between the chip and the reader by encrypting transmitted information.

Before data can be read from a chip, the reader needs to provide a key which is derived from the Machine Readable Zone [Mrz]: the date of birth, the date of expiry and the document number. If BAC is used, an attacker cannot (easily) eavesdrop transferred information without knowing the correct key. Using BAC is optional.
Passive Authentication (PA). PA prevents modification of passport chip data.

The chip contains a file (SOD) that stores hash values of all files stored in the chip (picture, finger print, etc.) and a digital signature of these hashes. The digital signature is made using a document signing key which itself is signed by a country signing key. If a file in the chip (e.g. the picture) is changed, this can be detected since the hash value is incorrect. Readers need access to all used public country keys to check whether the digital signature is generated by a trusted country. Using PA is mandatory.

Active Authentication (AA). AA prevents cloning of passport chips. The chip contains a private key that cannot be read or copied, but its existence can easily be proven. Using AA is optional.
Extended Access Control (EAC). EAC adds functionality to check the authenticity of both the chip (chip authentication) and the reader (terminal authentication).

Furthermore it uses stronger encryption than BAC. EAC is typically used to protect finger prints and iris scans. Using EAC is optional. In the EU, using EAC is mandatory for all documents issued starting June 28 2009.
Shielding the chip. This prevent unauthorized reading. Some countries - including at least the US - have integrated a very thin metal mesh into the passport's cover to act as a shield when the passport cover is closed.[4]

The use of shielding is optional.
[edit] Attacks
Since the introduction of biometric passports several attacks are presented and demonstrated:

Non-traceable chip characteristics. In 2008 a Radboud / Lausitz University team demonstrated that it's possible to determine where a passport chip is from without knowing the key required for reading it[5]. The team fingerprinted error messages of passport chips from different countries. The resulting lookup table allows an attacker to determine where a chip is from.
Basic Access Control (BAC). In 2005 Marc Witteman presented that document number of Dutch passports were predictable[6], allowing an attacker to guess / crack the key required for reading the chip. In 2006 Adam Laurie wrote software that tries all known passport keys within a given range, thus implementing one of Witteman's attacks. Using online flight booking sites, flight coupons and other public information it's possible to significantly reduce the number of possible keys.

Laurie demonstrated the attack by reading the passport chip of a Daily Mail's reporter in its envelope without opening it[7]. Note that in some early biometric passports BAC wasn't used at all, allowing attacker to read the chip's content without providing a key[8].

Passive Authentication (PA). In 2006 Lukas Grunwald demonstrated that it is trivial to copy passport data from a passport chip into a standard ISO 14443 smartcard using a standard contact-less card interface and a simple file transfer tool[9]. Grunwald used a passport that did not use Active Authentication (anti-cloning) and did not change the data held on the copied chip to keep its cryptographic signature valid.

In 2008 Jeroen van Beek demonstrated that not all passport inspection systems check the cryptographic signature of a passport chips. For his demonstration Van Beek altered chip information and signed it using his own document signing key of a non-existing country. This can only be detected by checking the country signing keys that are used to sign the document signing keys. To check country signing keys the ICAO PKD[10] can be used.

Only 5 out of 60+ countries are using this central database[11]. Van Beek did not update the original passport chip: instead an ePassport emulator was used[12]. Also in 2008, The Hacker's Choice implemented all attacks and published code to verify the results[13]. The release included a video clip that demonstrated problems using a forged Elvis Presley passport that is recognized as a valid US passport.[14][15]

Active Authentication (AA). In 2005 Marc Witteman presented that the secret Active Authentication key can be retrieved using power analysis[6]. This allows an attacker to clone passport chips that use the optional Active Authentication anti-cloning mechanism. In 2008 Jeroen van Beek demonstrated that optional security mechanisms can be disabled by removing their presence from the passport index file[16].

This allows an attacker to remove - amongst others - anti-cloning mechanisms (Active Authentication). The attack is documented in supplement 7 of Doc 9303 (R1-p1_v2_sIV_0006)[17] and can be solved by patching inspection system software. Note that supplement 7 features vulnerable examples in the same document that - when implemented - result in a vulnerable inspection process.

Extended Access Control (EAC). In 2007 Luks Grunwald presented an attack that can make EAC-enabled passport chips unusable[18]. Grunwald states that if an EAC-key - required for reading fingerprints and updating certificates - is stolen or compromised, an attacker can upload a false certificate with an issue date far in the future. The affected chips block read access until the future date is reached.
Note that attacks on the Passport card[19] are not applicable to the biometric passport.

[edit] Opposition
Privacy activists in many countries question and protest the lack of information about exactly what the passports' chip will contain, and whether they impact civil liberties. The main problem they point out is that data on the passports can be transferred with wireless RFID technology, which can become a major vulnerability. Although this could allow ID-check computers to obtain a person's information without a physical connection, it may also allow anyone with the necessary equipment to perform the same task. If the personal information and passport numbers on the chip aren't encrypted, the information might wind up in the wrong hands.

On December 15, 2006, the BBC published an article on the British ePassport, citing the above stories and adding that:

"Nearly every country issuing this passport has a few security experts who are yelling at the top of their lungs and trying to shout out: 'This is not secure. This is not a good idea to use this technology'", citing a specialist who states "It is much too complicated.

It is in places done the wrong way round - reading data first, parsing data, interpreting data, then verifying whether it is right. There are lots of technical flaws in it and there are things that have just been forgotten, so it is basically not doing what it is supposed to do.

It is supposed to get a higher security level. It is not."
and adding that the Future of Identity in the Information Society (FIDIS) network's research team (a body of IT security experts funded by the European Union) has "also come out against the ePassport scheme... [stating that] European governments have forced a document on its citizens that dramatically decreases security and increases the risk of identity theft

A visa (from the Latin charta visa, lit. "paper that has been seen"[1]) is an indication that a person is authorized to enter the country which "issued" the visa, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport. Some countries do not require a visa in some situations, such as a result of reciprocal treaty arrangements.

^The country issuing the visa typically attaches various conditions to the visa, such as the time that the visa is valid, the period that the person may stay in the country, whether the visa is valid for more than one visit, etc. The possession of a visa is not in itself a guarantee of entry into the country that issued it, and a visa can be revoked at any time.

A visa does not generally give a person any rights beyond the right to enter a country and remain there. Anything beyond those basic entitlements requires special permits, such as a residency permit or work permit.^

Many countries require possession of a valid passport and visa as a condition of entry for foreigners, though there exist exemptions (see below for examples of such schemes).

Visas are associated with the request for permission to enter (or exit) a country, and are thus, for some countries, distinct from actual formal permission for an alien to enter and remain in the country.

Some countries require that their citizens, and sometimes foreign travelers, obtain an exit visa in order to be allowed to leave the country.[2]

[edit] Conditions of issue
Some visas can be granted on arrival or by prior application at the country's embassy or consulate, or sometimes through a specialized travel agency with permission from the issuing country in the country of departure. If there is no embassy or consulate in one's home country, then one would have to travel to a third country (or apply by post) and try to get a visa issued there.

The need or absence of need of a visa generally depends on the citizenship of the applicant, the intended duration of the stay, and the activities that the applicant may wish to undertake in the country he visits; these may delineate different formal categories of visas, with different issue conditions.

Some countries have reciprocal visa regimes: if Country A requires citizens of Country B to have a visa to travel there, then Country B may apply reciprocity and require a visa from citizens of Country A. Likewise, if A allows B's citizens to enter without a visa, B may allow A's citizens to enter without a visa.

Examples of such reciprocal visa regimes are between:

Algeria[3] and Canada[4]
most CIS member states and African countries
Brazil and Canada/CIS member states
Armenia and most non-CIS member states[5]


A fee may be charged for issuing a visa; these are typically also reciprocal, so if country A charges country B's citizens 50 USD for a visa, country B will often also charge the same amount for country A's visitors. The fee charged may also be at the discretion of each embassy. A similar reciprocity often applies to the duration of the visa (the period in which one is permitted to request entry of the country) and the amount of entries one can attempt with the visa. Expedited processing of the visa application for some countries will generally incur additional charges.


Entry visa to the West African country of Ghana.This reciprocal fee has gained prominence in recent years with resentment by some countries of the United States charging nationals of various countries a visa processing fee (up to $131, non-refundable, even if a visa is not issued). A number of countries, including Brazil, Chile and Turkey have reciprocated; China and Russia, among others, require visas of US citizens, but also of European and other citizens, so their fee is not purely "reciprocal."

Brazil requires an advance visa before entry into the country, and that a US citizen be fingerprinted and photographed on arrival—matching U.S. requirements for Brazilians and other foreigners. Of course, reciprocity often has a political, rather than an economic or practical aspect, since there are far more residents of Brazil or Turkey who overstay their U.S. visas than vice versa, and this reciprocity hampers both tourism and business travel. Ukraine, for example, abolished its reciprocal visa and fee requirements in 2006, resulting in a substantial increase in both business and tourist travel to Ukraine; thus the benefits of having no reciprocity outweighed the "benefits" of political posturing.[citation needed]

The issuing authority, usually a branch of the country's foreign ministry or department (e.g. U.S. State Department), and typically consular affairs officers, may request appropriate documentation from the applicant. This may include proof that the applicant is able to support himself in the host country (lodging, food), proof that the person hosting the applicant in his or her home really exists and has sufficient room for hosting the applicant, proof that the applicant has obtained health and evacuation insurance, etc.

Some countries ask for proof of health status, especially for long-term visas; some countries deny such visas to persons with certain illnesses, such as AIDS. The exact conditions depend on the country and category of visa. Notable examples of countries requiring HIV tests of long-term residents are the USA, Russia[6] and Uzbekistan.[7] However, in Uzbekistan, the HIV test requirement is sometimes not strictly enforced.[7]

Developed countries frequently demand strong evidence of intent to return to the home country, if the visa is for a temporary stay, and especially if the applicant is from a developing country, due to immigration concerns.

The issuing authority may also require applicants to attest that they have had no criminal convictions, or that they do not partake in certain activities (like prostitution or drug trafficking). Some countries will deny visas if the travelers passports show evidence of citizenship or travel to a country which is not recognized by that country. For example, some Muslim countries will not issue visas to nationals of Israel or those whose passports bear evidence of visiting Israel.

[edit] Types of visa

A multiple-entry tourist visa to India with immigration stamps.
Entry tourist visa to ChinaEach country has a multitude of categories of visas and with various names.

The most common types and names of visas include:

transit visa, usually valid for 5 days or less, for passing through the country to a third destination.
tourist visa, for a limited period of leisure travel, no business activities allowed. Some countries do not issue tourist visas. Saudi Arabia introduced tourist visas only in 2004 although it did (and still does) issue pilgrimage visas for Hajj pilgrims.
business visa, for engaging in commerce in the country. These visas generally preclude permanent employment, for which a work visa would be required.
temporary worker visa, for approved employment in the host country. These are generally more difficult to obtain but valid for longer periods of time than a business visa.

Examples of these are the United States' H-1B and L-1 visas.
on-arrival visa, granted at a port of entry. This is distinct from not requiring a visa at all, as the visitor must still obtain the visa before they can even try to pass through immigration.
spousal visa or partner visa, granted to the spouse or de facto partner of a resident or citizen of a given country, in order to enable the couple to settle in that country. Examples include the United Kingdom's EEA family permit.
student visa, which allows its holder to study at an institution of higher learning in the issuing country. Students studying in Algeria, however, are issued tourist visas. [1]
working holiday visa, for individuals traveling between nations offering a working holiday program, allowing young people to undertake temporary work while traveling.


^diplomatic visa (sometimes official visa), is normally only available to bearers of diplomatic passports.^
courtesy visa issued to representatives of foreign governments or international organizations who do not qualify for diplomatic status but do merit expedited, courteous treatment.
journalist visa, which some countries require of people in that occupation when traveling for their respective news organizations. Countries which insist on this include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, the United States (I-visa) and Zimbabwe.

Marriage visa, granted for a limited period prior to intended marriage based on a proven relationship with a citizen of the destination country. For example, a German woman who wishes to marry an American man would obtain a Fiancee Visa (also known as a K-1 visa) to allow her to enter the United States. "A K1 Fiancee Visa is valid for four months from the date of its approval."[8]


immigrant visa, granted for those intending to immigrate to the issuing country. They usually are issued for a single journey as the holder will, depending on the country, later be issued a permanent resident identification card which will allow the traveler to enter to the issuing country an unlimited number of times. (for example, the United States Permanent Resident Card).

pensioner visa (also known as retiree visa or retirement visa), issued by a limited number of countries (Australia, Argentina, Thailand, Panama, etc.), to those who can demonstrate a foreign source of income and who do not intend to work in the issuing country. Age limits apply in some cases.

Special Category Visa is a type of Australian visa granted to most New Zealand citizens on arrival in Australia. New Zealand Citizens may then permanently reside in Australia under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement.
Electronic visa. The visa is applied for e.g. over the internet and stored in a computer and is tied to the passport number. Australia (calling it ETA) and the United States (from 2009, calling it ESTA) have this system, although it is not called visa by the US (since it does not follow the US law about visas).


ID card, introduced by the UK on 25 November 2008,
will replace the visa stickers in foreigners' passports over a gradual period.
[edit] Entry and duration period

Single-entry visitor visa to CanadaVisas can also be single-entry which means the visa is canceled as soon as the holder leaves the country; double-entry, or multiple-entry which permits double or multiple entries into the country with the same visa. Countries may also issue re-entry permits that allow temporarily leaving the country without invalidating the visa. Even a business visa will normally not allow the holder to work in the host country without an additional work permit.

Once issued, a visa will typically have to be used within a certain period of time.

The validity of a visa is not the same as the authorized period of stay in the issuing country. The visa validity usually indicates the time period when entry is permitted into the country. For example, if a visa has been issued to begin January 1 and to expire March 30, and the typical authorized period of stay in a country is 90 days, then the 90-day authorized stay starts on the day the passenger enters the country (entrance has to be between January 1 and March 30). Thus, the latest day the traveler could conceivably stay in the issuing country is July 1 (if the traveler entered on March 30).

Once in the country, the validity period of a visa or authorized stay can often be extended for a fee at the discretion of immigration authorities. Overstaying a period of authorized stay given by the immigration officers is considered illegal immigration even if the visa validity period isn't over (i.e. for multiple entry visas) and a form of being "out of status" and the offender may be fined, prosecuted, deported, or even blacklisted from entering the country again.

Entering a country without a valid visa or visa exemption may result in detention and removal (deportation or exclusion) from the country. Undertaking activities that are not authorized by the status of entry (for example, working while possessing a non-worker tourist status) can result in the individual being deemed deportable—commonly referred to as an illegal alien. Such violation is not a violation of a visa, despite the common misuse of the phrase, but a violation of status hence the term "out of status."

Even having a visa does not guarantee entry to the host country. The border crossing authorities make the final determination to allow entry, and may even cancel a visa at the border if the alien cannot demonstrate to their satisfaction that they will abide by the status their visa grants them.

[edit] Visa extensions

Thai Visa on an Indian PassportMany countries have a mechanism to allow the holder of a visa to apply to stay longer in that country. For example, in Denmark a visa holder can apply to the Danish Immigration Service for a Residence Permit after they have arrived in the Country. In the United Kingdom applications can be made to the UK Border Agency. In certain circumstances, it is not possible for the holder of the visa to do this, either because the country does not have a mechanism to prolong visas or, most likely, because the holder of the visa is using a short stay visa to live in a country.

In such cases, the holder often engages in what is known as a visa run: leaving the country for a short period in order to apply for a new visa prior to their return or so that they can be given a fresh permission to stay when they re-enter. However, immigration officers can also deny re-entry under these circumstances, especially if done more than once as such acts may signify that the alien wishes to permanently reside or work in that country. Also, some countries may have limits as to how long one can spend in the country without a visa, further creating a barrier to visa runs.


Visa Run example[edit] ^Visa refusal
A visa may be denied for a number of reasons, including (but not limited to) if the applicant:

has committed fraud or misrepresentation in his or her application
has a criminal record or has criminal charges pending
is considered to be a security risk
cannot prove to have strong ties to their current country of residence
intends to permanently reside or work in the country she/he will visit if not applying for an immigrant or work visa respectively
does not have a legitimate reason for the journey
has no visible means of sustenance
does not have travel arrangements (i.e. transportation and lodging) in the destination country
does not have a health/travel insurance valid for the destination and the duration of stay
does not have a good moral character
is applying on short notice
had their previous visa application(s) rejected and cannot prove that the reasons for the previous denials no longer exist or are not applicable anymore
is a citizen of a country with whom the host country has poor or non-existent relations
has a communicable disease, such as tuberculosis
has previous visa/immigration violations
has a passport that expires too soon
didn't use a previously issued visa at all without a valid reason (e.g. a trip cancellation due to a family emergency)
lacks travel experience
has a late return departure due to unknown cuts in airline's flights and wrong departure info on airline's hotline for three days resulting in an illegal extended stay. ^

[edit] Visa exemption schemes
Possession of a valid visa is a condition for entry into many countries, however various exemption schemes do exist. In some cases visa-free entry may be granted to holders of diplomatic passports even as visas are required by normal passport holders (see: Passport).

Some countries have reciprocal agreements such that a visa is not needed under certain conditions, e.g. when the visit is for tourism and for a relatively short period. Such reciprocal agreements may stem from common membership in international organizations or a shared heritage:

All citizens of EU member countries can travel to and stay in all other EU countries without a visa. See Four Freedoms (European Union) and Citizenship of the European Union.
The United States Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of 35 countries to travel to the USA without a visa[9].

This scheme is not 100% reciprocal as the US does not allow visa-free entry to citizens of some countries which allow US citizens visa-free entry.
Any Gulf Cooperation Council citizen can enter and stay as long as required in any other GCC member state.
All citizens of ECOWAS member states, excluding those defined by law as undesirable aliens, may enter and stay without a visa in any member state for a maximum period of 90 days.

The only requirement is a valid travel document and international vaccination certificates.[10]
Nationals of the East African Community member states do not need visas for entry into any of the member states.[11][12][13]
Some countries in the Commonwealth do not require tourist visas of citizens of other Commonwealth countries.
Some countries in the Association of South East Asia Nations do not require tourist visas of citizens of some Association of South East Asia Nations countries.(Except Myanmar, where its citizens are required visa to about 7 out of 10 countries.)
Armenia[5] and Uzbekistan allow citizens of CIS member states, except Turkmenistan (and Tajikistan to enter Uzbekistan), to enter visa-free as tourists.
Other countries may unilaterally grant visa-free entry to nationals of certain countries in order to facilitate tourism.

Some of the considerations for a country to grant visa-free entry to another country include (but are not limited to):

being a low security risk for the country potentially granting visa-free entry
having a low risk of overstaying or violating visa terms in the country potentially granting visa-free entry
Visa-free travel between countries also occurs in all cases where passports are not needed for such travel. (For examples of passport-free travel, see International travel without passports.)

[edit] Common visas
Normally visas are valid for entry only into the country which issued the visa. Countries that are members of regional organizations or party to regional agreements may however issue visas valid for entry into some or all of the member states of the organization or agreement:

the Schengen Visa may be the best-known example of a common visa. This visa has it origins in the 1985 Schengen Agreement among European states which allows for a common policy on the temporary entry of persons (including visas). The visa allows a tourist or visitor access to the area covered by the agreement (known as the “Schengen area” or “Schengenland”). Citizens of non-EU, non-EEA countries who wish to visit Europe as tourists, and who require a visa to enter the Schengen area, are simply required to get only the common Schengen Visa from the Embassy/Consulate of any of the Schengen countries.

After this, they may visit any or all of the Schengen countries as tourists or for business without hindrance. They are not required to get separate visas for all the Schengen countries they wish to visit. If an alien is visiting multiple countries in the Schengen zone, he typically applies in the embassy/consulate of his main destination country (i.e. where he plans to stay the longest). Note that certain countries within the EU/EEA are not part of the Schengen area, notably the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, and therefore are likely to require a separate visa.

the Central American Single Visa (Visa Única Centroamericana) was implemented by the CA-4 agreement between Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. It is required for citizens of all other countries, eliminating the need for separate entry visas for each of the countries. Persons entering the region on Type "B" visas can enter the area through any Port of Entry. Persons entering on Type "C" visas (issued through prior consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) must enter through a Port of Entry in the country that issued the visa. Once a person has been admitted, they may travel onto any of the other countries and are allowed to stay through the date authorized at the original Port of Entry.

An East African Single Tourist Visa is under consideration by the relevant sectoral authorities under the East African Community (EAC) integration program. If approved the visa will be valid for all three partner states in the EAC (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda). Under the proposal for the visa, any new East African single visa can be issued by any partner state's embassy.

The visa proposal followed an appeal by the tourist boards of the partner states for a common visa to accelerate promotion of the region as a single tourist destination and the EAC Secretariat wants it approved before November's World Travel Fair (or World Travel Market) in London.[14] When approved by the East African council of ministers, tourists could apply for one country's entry visa which would then be applicable in all regional member states as a single entry requirement initiative.[15]

The SADC UNIVISA (or Univisa) has been in development since SADC members signed a Protocol on the Development of Tourism in 1998. The Protocol outlined the Univisa as an objective so as to enable the international and regional entry and travel of visitors to occur as smoothly as possible.[16] It was expected to become operational by the end of 2002.[17] Its introduction was delayed and a new implementation date, the end of 2006, was announced.[18] However, the SADC now aims to have the univisa system in place by 2008, before the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.[19][20][21][22][23]

The univisa was originally intended to only be available, initially, to visitors from selected “source markets” such as Australia, the Benelux countries, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom and the USA.[17] It is now expected that when the Univisa is implemented, that it will apply to non SADC international (long-haul) tourists travelling to and within the region and that it will encourage multi - destination travel within the region.[16] It is also anticipated that the univisa will unlock the tourism potential of trans frontier parks by lowering the boundaries between neighboring countries in the parks.

The visa is expected to be valid for all the countries with trans frontier parks (Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe) and some other SADC countries (Angola and Swaziland)[23].
[edit] Previous common visa schemes
These schemes no longer operate.

the CARICOM Visa was introduced in late 2006 and allowed visitors to travel between 10 CARICOM member states (Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago). These 10 member countries had agreed to form a "Single Domestic Space" in which travelers would only have their passport stamped and have to submit completed, standardized entry and departure forms at the first port and country of entry.

The CARICOM Visa was applicable to the nationals of all countries except CARICOM member states (other than Haiti) and associate member states, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the overseas countries, territories or departments of these countries. The CARICOM Visa could be obtained from the Embassies/Consulates of Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago and in countries which have no CARICOM representatives, the applications forms could be obtained from the Embassies/Consulates of the United Kingdom. The common visa was only intended for the duration of the Cricket World Cup and was discontinued on May 15, 2007. However, discussions are ongoing into instituting a revised CARICOM visa on a permanent basis in the future.
[edit] Exit visas
Some countries have a requirement that an individual obtain an exit visa (ie. permit) to leave the country. This happens mostly in countries where there is political, economic or social turmoil that results in an increased rise in emigration. [24] Sometimes this requirement also applies to foreign nationals.

Saudi Arabia has an exit visa requirement, particularly for foreign workers. Hence at the end of a foreign worker's employment period, the worker must secure clearance from his/her employer stating that the worker has satisfactorily fulfilled the terms of his/her employment contract or that the worker's services are no longer needed. The exit visa can also be withheld if there are pending court charges that need to be settled or penalties that have to be meted out.

Russia also requires an exit visa if a visitor stays past the expiration date of their visa, then they must extend their visa or apply for an exit visa and are not allowed to leave the country until they show a valid visa or have a permissible excuse for overstaying their visa (e.g. a note from a doctor or a hospital explaining an illness, missed flight, lost or stolen visa). In some cases, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can issue a Return-Home certificate that is valid for ten days from the embassy of the visitor's native country, thus eliminating the need for an exit visa.[25][26] During the Italian Fascist Regime, an exit visa was required from 1922 to 1943 as was the case in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.[27] The Soviet Union and its Eastern European allies required exit visas both for emigrants and for those who wanted to leave the USSR for some time.

[edit] See also
Comparison of visa processing procedures by country
Electronic System for Travel Authorization
Immigration law
List of visa policies by country
List of visa guidelines by country
Passport
Travel document
#other info


Home > Library > Miscellaneous > WikipediaFor other uses, see Passport (disambiguation).
Different types of passport issued in LatviaA passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth. Most often, nationality and citizenship are congruent.

A passport does not of itself entitle the passport holder entry into another country, nor to consular protection while abroad or any other privileges, in the absence of any special agreements which cover the situation. It does, however, normally entitle the passport holder to return to the country that issued the passport. Rights to consular protection arise from international agreements, and the right to return arises from the laws of the issuing country. A passport does not represent the right or the place of residence of the passport holder in the country that issued the passport.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Types
3 International Civil Aviation Organization Standards
4 Languages
5 Common designs
6 National status
7 National conditions on passport issuance
8 Passports as government property
9 Passports and bail
10 One passport per person
10.1 Family Passports
11 Limitations on passport use
11.1 Brazil
11.2 Mainland China and Taiwan
11.3 Cyprus
11.4 Austria
11.5 Hong Kong and Macau
11.6 Israel
11.7 Philippines
11.8 South Korea
11.9 Spain and Gibraltar
11.10 Tonga
11.11 United States
12 International travel without passports
12.1 European Union
12.2 Entering the USA without a passport (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative)
12.3 Other Countries
13 Domestic travel that requires passports
14 Immigration stamps in passports
15 Passport Cards
16 Gallery
17 See also
18 References
19 Further reading
20 External links


History Inside of the old Polish passport - 1931One of the earliest known reference to what served the major role of a passport is found in the Hebrew Bible. In Nehemiah 2:7-9, attributed to the time of the Persian Empire in about 450 BC, it is said that Nehemiah, an official serving King Artaxerxes I of Persia, asked leave to travel to Judea, and the king granted leave and gave him a letter "to the governors beyond the river" requesting safe passage for him as he traveled through their lands.

In the medieval Islamic Caliphate, a form of passport was used in the form of a bara'a, a receipt for taxes paid. Only citizens who paid their zakah (for Muslims) or jizya (for Dhimmis) taxes were permitted to travel to different regions of the Caliphate, thus the bara'a receipt was a "traveller's basic passport."[1]

It is considered unlikely that the term "passport" is derived from sea ports, but rather from a medieval document required to pass through the gate ("porte") of a city wall.[citation needed] In medieval Europe, such documents were issued to travelers by local authorities, and generally contained a list of towns and cities into which a document holder was permitted to pass. On the whole, documents were not required for travel to sea ports, which were considered open trading points, but documents were required to travel inland from sea ports.

King Henry V of England is credited with having invented what some consider the first true passport, notwithstanding the earlier examples cited, as a means of helping his subjects prove who they were in foreign lands.[2]

The rapid expansion of rail travel in Europe from the mid-nineteenth century led to a breakdown of the European passport system of the early part of the nineteenth century. The speed of trains, as well the the numbers of passengers that crossed many borders, made enforcement of passport laws difficult. The general reaction was the relaxation of passport requirements.[3] In the later part of the nineteenth century and up to World War I, passports were not required, on the whole, for travel within Europe, and crossing a border was straight forward. Consequently, comparatively few people had passports. The Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire maintained passport requirements for international travel, in addition to an internal-passport system to control travel within their borders.

Early passports included a description of the passport holder. Photographs began to be attached to passports in the early decades of the twentieth century, when photography became widespread.

During World War I, European governments introduced border passport requirements for security reasons (to keep out spies) and to control the emigration of citizens with useful skills, retaining potential manpower. These controls remained in place after the war, and became standard procedure, though not without controversy. British tourists of the 1920s complained, especially about attached photographs and physical descriptions, which they considered led to a "nasty dehumanisation".[4]

In 1920, the League of Nations held a conference on passports and through tickets. Passport guidelines resulted from the conference,[5] which was followed up by conferences in 1926[6] and 1927.[citation needed]

The United Nations held a travel conference in 1963, but passport guidelines did not result from it. Passport standardisation came about in 1980, under the auspices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Types Inside front cover and first page of an ordinary Azerbaijani passportThe terminology related to passports has become generally standardized around the world. The typical passports include:

Ordinary passport, also called tourist passport
Issued to ordinary citizens.
Official passport, also called service passport
Issued to government employees for work-related travel, and to accompanying dependents.
Diplomatic passport
Issued to diplomats and consuls for work-related travel, and to accompanying dependents. Having a diplomatic passport is not the equivalent of having diplomatic immunity. A grant of diplomatic status, a privilege of which is diplomatic immunity, has to come from the government of the country in relation to which diplomatic status is claimed. Also, having a diplomatic passport does not mean visa-free travel. A holder of a diplomatic passport usually has to obtain a diplomatic visa, even if a holder of an ordinary passport may enter a country visa-free or may obtain a visa on arrival.
In exceptional circumstances, a diplomatic passport is given to a foreign citizen with no passport of his own, such as an exiled VIP who lives, by invitation, in a foreign country.
Emergency passport, also called temporary passport
Issued to persons whose passports were lost or stolen, and who do not have time to obtain replacement passports.
Collective passport
Issued to defined groups for travel together to particular destinations, such as a group of school children on a school trip to a specified country.
Family passport
Issued to family members—father, mother, son, daughter. There is one passport holder. The passport holder may travel alone or with one or more other family members. A family member who is not the passport holder cannot use the passport for travel unless accompanied by the passport holder.
Laissez-passer
A document which is not a passport, but which serves the function of a passport. Laissez-passer are issued by international organizations to their officers and employees for official travel.
Alien's passport
A document which is not a passport, but is a document issued under certain circumstances, such as statelessness, to non-citizen residents.
In Latvia, an alien's passport is a passport for non-citizens - former citizens of the Soviet Union who reside in Latvia, but are not entitled to citizenship. It is used as an internal passport inside Latvia, and as a travel document outside Latvia.
Internal passport
A document which is not a passport, but is an identity document which keeps track of migration within a country. Examples: the internal passport of Russia, or the hukou residence-registration system in mainland China, both dating back to imperial times.
Camouflage and Fantasy Passports
A Camouflage passport is a document that appears to be a regular passport but is actually in the name of a country that no longer exists or never existed. Companies that sell camouflage passports make the rather dubious claim that in the event of a hijacking they could be shown to terrorists to aid escape. There is no known instance of this happening. Because a camouflage passport is not issued in the name of a real country, it is not a counterfeit and is not illegal per se to have. However attempting to use it to actually enter a country would be illegal in most jurisdictions.
A fantasy passport is likewise a document not issued by a recognized government and invalid for legitimate travel. Fantasy passports are distinguished from camouflage passports in that they are issued by an actual, existent group, organization, or tribe. In some cases the goal of the fantasy passport is to make a political statement or to denote membership in the organization. In other cases they are issued more or less as a joke or for souvenir purposes.
http://www.answers.com/topic/passport
http://www.worldfreemansociety.org/foru ... rts#p10080

New e-Passport Issued; Facial Recognition & Digital Chips
(Fox News)
http://republicbroadcasting.org/?p=5457

Countries that have historically friendly relations with the United States on Thursday will begin issuing passports to residents traveling abroad complete with facial-recognition software and digital chips.

The U.S. State Department is already issuing so-called e-Passports to some American travelers as part of the U.S. government’s effort to make travel documents more secure in a post-Sept. 11 world.
“The department is committed to shutting down the ability of terrorists and criminals to use false travel documents to move freely through our borders.

The upgrade to e-Passports is a significant advance in preventing terrorists from using lost or stolen passports to obtain entry into the United States,” Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday.

“It is going to make for a quicker inspection. It also allows the inspectors to focus their resources on people who don’t have electronic documents who have, perhaps, come from countries of greater concern,”

added Frank Moss, deputy assistant secretary for consular affairs at the State Department. “I’ve never tried to tell people the e-Passport is a silver bullet … it is another tool to improve border security … and to make the inspection process more efficient for the vast majority of legitimate travelers.”

Passports currently have a bar code that is swiped by customs officials through a reader. The traveler’s information then comes up on the computer screen. The new passports have the regular bar code, digital photographs and an electronic chip in which is stored the same biographical data of the traveler currently on the first page of the “old” passport.

E-Passport holders will be able to pass through the customs booth with the e-Passport symbol — hopefully in a quicker fashion than the regular passport lines.

Click here for more information from the State Department on the new e-Passport
http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/ep ... _2498.html
After Sept. 11, not only did the United States and other countries set out to create more secure travel documents, but to do it in a way that didn’t put travelers through even more time-consuming security checks.

The Sept. 11 commission noted in its report that the use of forged or fake documents to get into the United States is one of the biggest holes in U.S. homeland security.

The move to more advanced machine-readable passports “sort of went gradually until Sept. 11, 2001, where the world said ‘whoa — we have to accelerate research and guidelines on electronic passports because of the bottlenecks in airport security,’” said Denis Chagnon, spokesman for the International Civil Aviation Organization, which created the technical standards for the e-Passports.
http://www.icao.int/

Many foreign travelers need to show their visa upon arrival at U.S. airports. But some countries — Australia, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, among others — are exempt from that requirement. Those countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program, which only requires a passport for arrival in the United States.
javascript:siteSearch('Visa%20Waiver%20Program');

Critics have pointed out that VWP countries have had their own share of terrorists in their midst — for instance, would-be shoe-bomber Richard Reid, a British citizen who flew out of France; and the British citizen bombers who killed 56 others in the subways and on a bus in London on July 7, 2005 — and they shouldn’t benefit from more lax security restrictions.

The U.S. Border Security Act of 2002 requires that as of Thursday, passports issued by VWP nations must be electronic. It also requires that U.S. ports of entry have technology in place to compare and authenticate the high-tech documents. All countries issuing e-Passports must also have readers in place to read any other countries’ e-Passports.

Come Thursday, “the overwhelming majority of countries” will be in compliance with the new passport requirements, DHS spokesman Jarrod Agen said, adding that some countries outside of the VWP are also beginning to issue e-Passports.

The three countries not yet issuing e-Passports are Andorra, Brunei and Liechtenstein. Their residents will need a visa to enter the United States if they have a passport issues after Oct. 26 until e-Passports are available.

But some groups are concerned that technology in the passports could be preyed upon by identity thieves.

“There have definitely been some improvements in what the government has done. Nevertheless, we’re really still not satisfied with the way this is being done,” said Lee Tien, senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
http://www.eff.org/

At home, the State Department began issuing e-Passports to its diplomats and other officials last December, then to other government personnel in April. The new technology was first issued to American tourists Aug. 14 out of the Colorado passport agency; the passports take about six weeks to make and deliver. Last Thursday, passport agencies in Boston, Washington and Miami began issuing them.

Only residents applying for passports in those cities will receive e-Passports immediately. By mid-2007, the State Department hopes to have converted all its U.S. passport agencies to e-Passport production in what Moss said is part of the effort to combat the “active market” of lost and stolen passports around the world.

The United States issued 12.1 million e-Passports in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 and officials expect demand to be between 15 and 16 million in the coming fiscal year.

How They Work

The new U.S. passports have an international e-Passport symbol on the cover, which is a rectangle with a circle inside (see photo); each page depicts a different American scene — such as the Statue of Liberty, Boston Harbor, cowboys and a boat on the Mississippi.

Each book contains a chip with the passport holder’s name, address, date of birth and other biographical information and a digital photograph of the traveler. The chips are called RFID (radio frequency identification) chips; they’re equipped with antennae and use radio waves to identify the passport holder. They’re similar to chips used in bank cards, cell phones and automated payment systems.

Click here to see more designs on the new U.S. passport
http://travel.state.gov/passport/eppt/epptnew_2807.html

The e-Passport readers at airports also have antennae, which send out electromagnetic waves to the chip and convert incoming waves into digital data that shows up on the airport official’s computer screen.

Travelers who arrive at airport inspection booths displaying the international e-Passport symbol will have their passport scanned by a biometric reader. Chagnon said the biggest change travelers may see at some airports is a camera that they will look into so airport officials can determine the passport holder is who the passport says he or she is.

Chagnon explained that encryption keys
javascript:siteSearch('encryption%20keys');

..allow the immigration or security official to determine the passport isn’t a forgery and to determine that the person in front of them is same as the one in the passport photo.

“What the coding and decoding does, is it takes hundreds of points, sets of two points all over the face, then it compares those to what the camera sees. So even though someone may look like someone else, they’re not the same. The accuracy is such that by comparing these two points, the distance between the eyes isn’t the same…it’s very accurate,” Chagnon said.

“It’s really excellent in authenticating a document and a person,” he added. “It doesn’t replace the person [airport official], it’s just an added feature to help authenticate the person, the travel, and the passport and the document.”

A State Department official clarified that U.S. airports will not install cameras specifically for e-Passport holders, but they may be used in some airports abroad. The benefit of RFID is that it requires no contact, meaning the user can simply wave the RFID-embedded object close to a reader to get the information verified.

But that’s a problem with RFID, come critics say, because anyone sitting nearby with a laptop can easily “skim” the data from the chip when the passport is swiped. Some cyber-security gurus say they’ve actually cracked RFID and successfully stolen data from cards or other devices using the technology.

Tien likened the RFID swipe to that of punching in your pin number at and ATM with someone looking over your shoulder. Calling RFID an “inherently leaky technology,” he said: “If you don’t put in more controls, the data’s going to be flying in the clear.”

U.S. officials say the government has countered those concerns by including various encryption and digital signature devices, as well as a basic-access control in the chip, which essentially locks the chip’s data and only allows someone with authorization to read the RFID signal and chip information after the printed lines of data are skimmed through the reader. That’s opposed to the chip being an open book for anyone with a compatible reading device. The passport chips are also designed to operate only within 10 centimeters of a chip reader.

A piece of metallic material also covers the passport from front to back, and the chip is included on the third page, not the front.

“At the end of the day, you ended up what looks a lot to me like a swiping card, because you had to deal with the privacy issues,” Tien said, adding that two-dimensional barcode passports or laser cards using light technology — not radio waves — would work just as well.

“There’s a lack of openness and accountability here that makes me very skeptical about the initial decisions to use RFID, and therefore, the whole policy question about ’should the U.S. government be promoting itself a technology that has known privacy and security issues when there appear to be equally if not better, more effective alternatives.”

But Moss said the new passport “establishes a gold standard” for protecting privacy.

“The bottom line is, we have adopted a belt-and-multiple-suspenders approach to security because we want to be sure we’re providing the American public with the most secure travel documents possible,” Moss said.

November 27, 2009