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Passports
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Passports now have a broadly standardised format. They begin with a cover identifying the issuing country, then a title page ... naming the country. This is usually followed by pages giving information about the bearer and the issuing authority, (although some European Union member state passports provide this information on the inside back cover of the document). Then, a number of blank pages are given for foreign countries to affix visas, or stamp the passport on entrance or exit. Passports are provided with a serial number by the issuing authority.
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PRAGUE- The Czech Republic will soon introduce passports with a digital photo portrait and a digital fingerprint of the holder, under the bill that the Chamber of Deputies passed with the aim to increase passports safety standards. Digital photos should appear in Czech passports during the year 2006 and fingerprints probably by mid-2008. The bill applies to new passports. The old ones will remain valid until their date of expiry. The new bill keeps the current possibility for people to apply for a passport valid for one year at the most that is issued within a shorted deadline. This type of passport will not contain the biometric data.
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EAC provides a higher level of security during the verification process of e-passports. Not based on the X.509 standard, EAC will leverage a new type of certificate established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) known as a card verifiable (CV) certificate. Entrust is actively participating in the technical groups working on the new CV standard, including attending the Brussels Interoperability Group (BIG) meeting this week in Paris, France.
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Some countries will not allow entries to people with evidence of visits to Israel or used or unused Israeli visas in their passports. To help foreigners circumvent these restrictions, Israel used to not require visitors to have their passports stamped upon entry or advanced visas, making it difficult to tell if a traveller has been to Israel. However, since September 2006 they will rarely agree not to stamp passports.[12] In addition many of these nations are aware of the exit stamps placed in passports by Egypt and Jordan at their land borders with Israel and may block entry based on the presence of these stamps. For example, a traveler may be denied entry to certain countries because of the presence of an Egyptian exit stamp indicating the person left Egypt through the Taba Border Crossing, at the Israeli border.
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As the pressure heats up to ready for the new generation of electronic passports and secure credentials, Atmel announces a new chip intended to meet the emerging need. The dual interface chip complies with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) specs for international passports with contactless interface and biometrics. The chip is scheduled to be ready for bulk production by the beginning of 2005.
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Jeff Parker of Rapid City talks with Carole Coon about the waiting period for passports Wednesday afternoon at the Post Office in Rapid City. The current waiting period for U.S. passports is 10 to 12 weeks.
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