Is it safe to show a biometric passport to a third party?

Is it safe to show a biometric passport to a third party? - Crop unrecognizable person demonstrating British passport

There is kind of a risk gaining an access to personal data or some way getting debts with a passport. Is there a chance someone can read biometric RFID data from an international passport, like fingerprints or a photograph?



Best Answer

The data on your passport chip is encrypted, but the encryption key is the machine-readable data on the personal data page (see e.g. this slide deck from ICAO). So it is useless if someone just reads the chip alone, but if they also can see the personal data page, then they can also decrypt the contents of the chip. There are Android apps which can read the passport chip, and require you to scan the data page with the camera, then read the chip with the phone's NFC reader. It will be very obvious if someone is doing this to your passport.




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What information is stored on a UK biometric passport?

The UK has been issuing 'biometric' passports (also known as 'ePassports') since 2006. These passports include a microchip which stores a digitised image of the holder's passport photograph as well as the biographical details printed on the passport.

What are the advantages of a biometric passport?

A biometric passport (or ePassport) is more advanced than a traditional passport. It has more security features, such as an embedded microchip with the passport holder's personal details. Holders of a biometric passport can use ePassport gates at border control, making entry faster and easier.

What is the difference between biometric and machine readable passport?

Difference Between Machine-Readable and Biometric PassportsA biometric passport is a more advanced type of travel document, which has a microchip embedded inside the cover. Usually, an ePassport will also have machine-readable text on the identity page, whereas a machine-readable passport may not have a microchip.

Are US passports biometric or machine readable?

US Government Passport As of August 2007, all passports issued by the Government Publishing Office for the United States Department of State are biometric passports.



Travelling With Biometric Passports - All You Need to Know - Savory \u0026 Partners




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