The Electronic Passport and the Future of Government-Issued RFID-Based Identification

Passports and other identification documents may be enhanced using recent advancements in technology. Various national and international bodies are pursuing machine-readable approaches with biometric information. In particular, the international civil aviation organization (ICAO) has adopted standards whereby passports can store biometric identifiers. Countries that participate in the visa waiver program (VWP) began issuing electronic passports in 2006. However, the selection of technologies remains questionable due to privacy and security concerns. This paper examines policy regarding these electronic approaches and developments toward electronic data storage and transmission. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) devices for electronic passports and other existing identity documents are discussed.