National Identity

As nations around the world wrestle with control issues-keeping illegal immigrants out, and providing enhanced security for a state’s residents within, much more attention has focused on biometrics. It is well-documented that governments in the Americas, in Europe and in Asia have taken preliminary steps that will result in the inclusion of biometrics in National ID cards, passports, visas and entitlement programs such as health schemes. It is expected that this will be complemented with biometrics in travel documents as well.

Most likely, such usage will incorporate templates from more than one biometric. At this time, it is far from clear upon which technology highest reliance will be placed. Suffice it to say that the unparalleled accuracy of iris recognition, the speed with which authentication can be made using platforms such as Iris ID IrisAccess, a template whose small size lends itself to both on-token storage in the custody of the token-holder or storage efficiency in database environments plus the stability of the iris template over time and attendant low enrollment and management costs a one time enrollment affords all bode well for iris recognition’s role as a key factor in national documentation and identity management programs.