News | ID & Secure Document News

Francis Tuffy

28 Sept. 2025

3 min read

Secure Documents at the Crossroads of Optical and Digital Innovation

The 2025 edition of Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS), held in Warsaw, Poland (15-17 September), once again confirmed its position as the world’s leading forum for the science and technology of secure documents. The range of technical papers emphasised the strong cross-fertilisation across the sector, which makes innovations in banknote protection equally useful in passports, identity cards, driving licences and civil registrations.

Events Free Free

Lynsey Harris

28 Sept. 2025

2 min read

A Visual Journey Through Guyana’s New ePassport

Guyana’s new ePassport represents a significant upgrade in both security and national identity. The project covers one million passports to be delivered over four years, with the first 100,000 issued in December 2024. The document combines ICAO-compliant electronic safeguards with design elements rooted in Guyana’s cultural and environmental heritage.

Country Profile

Francis Tuffy

28 Sept. 2025

1 min read

Mandatory Digital ID to Work in the UK

The UK Government has confirmed plans to introduce a mandatory digital identity scheme, described by senior minister Darren Jones as ‘the bedrock of the modern state’. The policy is framed as a tool to strengthen immigration controls, close loopholes in the labour market and provide wider benefits to citizens.

Digital Identity

Francis Tuffy

28 Sept. 2025

4 min read

Are Physical ID Documents Going Away?

With the rise of digital identity systems, mobile driving licences and biometric identity authentication, it’s tempting to think physical IDs are becoming obsolete. But despite progress being made in the digital world, physical documents remain deeply embedded in global infrastructure, and their role is far from over.

White Papers

Francis Tuffy

10 Sept. 2025

2 min read

APTITUDE Launches to Advance Trusted Digital Identity in Europe

A major new initiative, APTITUDE, has launched under the European Commission’s Large-Scale Pilot (LSP) programme to accelerate the rollout of the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet). Coordinated by the French government, APTITUDE brings together 118 partners from 11 EU Member States and Ukraine, with a total of €20 million in EU funding ..

Company Digital Identity

Francis Tuffy

7 Sept. 2025

2 min read

ID.me Secures Funding to Expand AI-Resilient Identity Infrastructure

ID.me has raised $340 million in Series E funding to scale its secure, interoperable digital identity platform. With over 152 million users and adoption across 20 US federal and 45 state agencies, the platform supports federated identity at NIST IAL2 assurance levels—essential for high-trust public sector applications.

Digital Identity

Francis Tuffy

3 Sept. 2025

2 min read

Apple Wins New Biometric Technique Patent

ID & Secure Document News™ continues its tracking of the intellectual property strategies of big tech companies in the areas of identity and biometric technologies.

Biometrics

Francis Tuffy

3 Sept. 2025

3 min read

Before Building New ID Numbering Systems, Let’s Use What We Have

In the identity management field, innovation often comes with a sense of urgency. You identify an opportunity, work up a proposal, attend meetings, submit your bid and then (hopefully) Go! Go! Go! At this point, you already have the solution so well worked out with colleagues (and written into an annexe of the contract) that you don’t have time to reconsider what is already in place in the country’s identity framework.

Editorial

Aftab Baloch

3 Sept. 2025

5 min read

The Dilemma of Pakistan’s Passport

With a population exceeding 250 million, Pakistan is among the world’s most populous nations and, as such, the demand for international travel documents remains high. Passports in Pakistan are issued by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, under the Ministry of the Interior of the federal government. Three types of passports – ordinary (green), official (blue), and diplomatic (red) – are issued, each valid for five or 10 years depending on the type and requirement.

Biometrics

Francis Tuffy

3 Sept. 2025

2 min read

The Expanding Role for Secure Identity in Age Verification

Governments are increasingly turning to age verification systems and secure identity documents as tools to regulate digital access, safeguard minors online and prevent exposure to harmful content.

Government

Jim Marsh

3 Sept. 2025

3 min read

The Future of Travel Technology: The Evolution of ePassports

Travel technology is advancing rapidly, with companies like Veridos complementing secure travel documents with digital solutions to streamline border crossings. ‘Virtual’ ePassports – digital credentials stored on secure mobile platforms – are emerging as a digital complement to traditional physical passports, rather than a replacement. While full replacement has not yet been realised or intended, these digital alternatives offer users more freedom of choice and enable identity verification, biometric integration, and global interoperability without physical booklets, enhancing travel efficiency and security for a connected world.

Passports

Francis Tuffy

3 Sept. 2025

2 min read

Round-Up of National eID Schemes

The momentum behind national electronic identity (eID) programmes continues with countries across Africa, Central America, Southeast Asia, and Europe moving ahead at different stages of implementation.

ID Cards

Francis Tuffy

3 Sept. 2025

1 min read

New Document Issue

On 18 August 2025, the Texas Department of Public Safety initiated issuance of redesigned driving licences and ID cards, incorporating several high security features aimed at enhancing counterfeit resistance and reinforcing public safety.

New Document Issues

Francis Tuffy

3 Sept. 2025

5 min read

News in Brief

Mexico has formally enacted legislation making the biometric-based Unique Population Registry Code (Clave Única de Registro de Población – CURP) mandatory for all citizens, transforming what was once an optional identifier into the country’s central digital identity instrument.

News

Francis Tuffy

3 Sept. 2025

2 min read

TOPPAN Security Wins Design Award

Ethiopia’s new ePassport, designed and manufactured by TOPPAN Security, has been awarded the 2025 Red Dot Award in the Brands & Communication Design category, a prestigious international competition that honours outstanding achievements in communication design and enables winners to use the Red Dot quality label in their communications.

Free Free

Francis Tuffy

1 Sept. 2025

2 min read

IDEMIA and Sopra Steria Deliver eu-LISA’s sBMS

In September 2020, ID & Secure Document News™ reported on the award of the contract for the European Union’s Shared Biometric Matching System (sBMS) to the consortium of IDEMIA and Sopra Steria. At that time, the project was positioned as a cornerstone of the EU’s interoperability framework, designed to provide centralised biometric services across multiple Justice and Home Affairs systems; including the Visa Information System (VIS), the Schengen Information System (SIS) and the then-upcoming Entry/Exit System (EES).

Company

Francis Tuffy

3 Aug. 2025

2 min read

Veridos Signs Contract for Nepal’s Biometric Passports

Veridos GmbH has officially signed a contract with Nepal’s Department of Passports (DoP) for the production of biometric passports, following an international competitive tendering process. The agreement, announced at the end of July, covers Package 2 of the project—comprising the supply of secure ePassport booklets, personalisation infrastructure, quality control systems, and packaging.

Company Passports

Francis Tuffy

27 July 2025

2 min read

Oldest Horse Racecourse in the World Adopts Digital Ticketing

Chester Racecourse, acknowledged by Guinness World Records as the oldest operational racecourse in the world, has implemented a digital ticketing system using HID’s Event Management Platform (EMP).

Biometrics

Francis Tuffy

21 July 2025

2 min read

New Document Issue – Kenya ePassport

Kenya has launched its next-generation electronic passport, developed in partnership with Veridos, featuring enhanced security architecture and a design framework aligned with national representation.

New Document Issues

Francis Tuffy

21 July 2025

5 min read

On the Record: Ethiopia’s Head of Immigration and Citizenship Services

Driving digital transformation, Ms Selamawit Dawit has played a pivotal role in elevating Ethiopia’s global presence and modernising its public services. Now serving as Director General of Ethiopia’s Immigration and Citizenship Services (ICS), she brings a wealth of experience from diplomacy, public administration, and policy leadership, having previously served as Director General of the Diaspora Agency and State Minister of Tourism.

Interviews

Latest News

Secure Documents at the Crossroads of Optical and Digital Innovation

A Visual Journey Through Guyana’s New ePassport

Mandatory Digital ID to Work in the UK

Are Physical ID Documents Going Away?

APTITUDE Launches to Advance Trusted Digital Identity in Europe

ID.me Secures Funding to Expand AI-Resilient Identity Infrastructure

Apple Wins New Biometric Technique Patent

Before Building New ID Numbering Systems, Let’s Use What We Have

The Dilemma of Pakistan’s Passport

The Expanding Role for Secure Identity in Age Verification

The Future of Travel Technology: The Evolution of ePassports

Round-Up of National eID Schemes

New Document Issue

News in Brief

TOPPAN Security Wins Design Award

IDEMIA and Sopra Steria Deliver eu-LISA’s sBMS

Veridos Signs Contract for Nepal’s Biometric Passports

Oldest Horse Racecourse in the World Adopts Digital Ticketing

New Document Issue – Kenya ePassport

On the Record: Ethiopia’s Head of Immigration and Citizenship Services

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