Biometric passports

The EU member states have agreed that, from 28 June 2009 at the latest, passports will include the holder’s fingerprints. Since 26 August 2006, Dutch passports have included an electronic chip containing the personal details of the holder and a digitised passport photograph. From June 2009, the chip will also contain a digitised image of the holder’s fingerprints. The aim is to make EU passports less susceptible to falsification and fraud. The chip makes it possible to compare this information electronically with the holder’s features and the printed information in the passport. This will make it more difficult to falsify passports or use someone else’s passport.