ePassports to Be Issued by the End of 2012

A short follow-up to a previous Slaw post on e- passports and privacy. Although there is no exact date, the Canadian government has announced that they will finally begin issuing the long awaited ePassports by the end of 2012.

The e-passport will now be valid for a period of 10 years and contain a data chip inside it that can be read electronically to provide border officials with the bearer’s information, holographic images and a hidden photo of the bearer that can only be viewed under ultraviolet light. Public ePassport readers will be installed in Passport Canada’s 34 offices. This will allow passport holders to access the information stored on their chip to make sure it is accurate, if they wish to do so.

Passport Canada has been undertaking a pilot project since 2009, through which 40,000 diplomatic and special ePassports have been issued, with no difficulties reported.