I recently blogged about the concerns regarding electronic passports, but my blog published PRIOR to the announcement that authorities uncovered an alleged terror plot involving airplanes and liquid explosives. I assumed that the heightened security checks at airports worldwide would certainly impact the United States plan to begin issuing e-passports, but I was wrong. In fact, I just learned that the U.S. State Department’s plan to issue smart chip-embedded passports to Americans will go on as scheduled TODAY.
Initially, there was talk that the rollout wouldn’t formally take place until the end of the busy summer travel season. That is not the case anymore. Apparently, a foiled terror plot and subsequent new travel restrictions won’t stop the electronic passport’s debut. Never mind that any hitches in getting the technology to work properly could mean even longer waits for travelers already facing lengthy security lines at airports.
For those of you unfamiliar with the new electronic passports they are basically a high tech version of the existing paper version. The new passports will include a chip that contains all the data contained in existing passports, including your name, birthdate, gender, etc. When the e-passport is scanned the chip is read and (the theory goes) you will be able to get through customs faster. In addition, the State Department maintains the new technology will also help enhance border security.
But, as I mentioned in my previous blog not everyone is convinced that electronic passports are the wave of the future. Privacy groups continue to raise concerns about the security of the electronic information citing numerous reports that detail how personal information stored on the documents could be copied and transferred to another device.
The government has retorted by claiming, “electronic cloning does not constitute a threat because the information on the chips, including the photograph, is encrypted and cannot be changed.” Officials maintain that the threat is really no different than someone stealing your paper passport and trying to use it—since your photo is on the chip it would be extremely difficult for someone to successfully use a stolen passport. There is also the additional concern that hackers could pick up the electronic signal when the passport is being scanned, though government officials diffused that threat, insisting that a pilot program proved that electronic passports are indeed safe.
If you are looking to upgrade to an e-passport expect to pay a lot more. New ones issued under this program will cost $97, which includes a $12 security surcharge. Existing passports without the electronic chips will remain valid until their normal expiration date.