Monthly Archives: December 2019
Nearly 1 million Irish passports issued in 2019
Almost 1 million Irish passports were issued in 2019.
The Guardian reports that the figure is a new record and represents a 7% increase on...
France to drop CFA franc in West Africa
A new common currency in West Africa – known as the ECO – will be launched in 2020.
CNN reports that the ECO will replace...
Brexit: record-breaking surge of Brits seeking EU passports
After Boris Johnson’s recent election, the UK is most definitely leaving the EU at the end of January 2020.
Quartz reports that the latest data...
Greatest passports of the decade
This past decade, we have witnessed the rise of many new trends and the unfortunate fall of past triumphs. But when it comes to...
Turkey partially lifts visa requirements for Algerians
Turkey issued a presidential decree exempting certain Algerian citizens from having to obtain travel visas when visiting the country.
The decision, published in Turkey's Official...
Current and valid passports on eBay
As a historian and collector of old passports, eBay is, of course, one of the sources where I find my collectibles, but also relevant...
Hand geometry recognition: pros and cons
Ravi Das
The biometric template creation process of hand geometry recognition
To start the enrolment process with a hand geometry recognition system, a combination of both...
India eases regulations for reissue of OCI cards
Last Wednesday the Indian government relaxed certain Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) regulations for the reissue of a passport for those below 20 years...
Myanmar relaxes visa regulations
Tourists from the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Hungary and Austria will be able to receive a visa on arrival upon entering the country...
Vietnam extends visa-free stays
The government of Vietnam decided to extend the visa-free stays for citizens from Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Belarus until...
Busted: Belgian-Greek Network Smuggling Migrants with fake IDs
The following news story was released by Europe’s Border Security Report earlier this month.
Authorities in Belgium and Greece have dismantled a network that was...
Security Banknote Hologram Wins International Trade Award
An advanced banknote showcasing the best in micromirror and hologram integration, has won the ‘Best Applied Security Product’ category at the Excellence in Holography...
Provisional Agreement on European Digital ID Reached
The Council of the European Union issued the following press release on November 9, 2023.
With a view to ensuring a trusted and secure...
Biometric Technologies of the Future: Gait Recognition
Gait recognition is the next potential biometric which is being looked at very closely as a viable technology of the future. Gait recognition, simply...
Macau to Launch New 10- and 20- Patacas Notes in Early 2024
Macau expects to put new banknotes in two denominations, with a total of four designs, into circulation early next year. The two issuing banks...
