The Henley Passport Index recently announced the world’s strongest passports. The strength of such a document depends largely on its security features.
Veridos explains what makes a passport truly secure.
Which are the world’s strongest passports? This question is answered annually by the Henley Passport Index. The ranking is based on the number of countries a passport holder can visit without a visa. This number depends on several factors, including a country’s diplomatic and political links. Countries with strong diplomatic and economic ties often negotiate visa-free travel agreements.
Another critical factor is the security level of the document. Secure passports are seen as trustworthy internationally, increasing the likelihood of visa waivers for their holders. But what makes a passport secure? Veridos highlights the key features of secure passports:
- Biometric data. Unique identifiers such as facial features, fingerprints or iris patterns are highly reliable because the latter two remain virtually unchanged throughout a person’s lifetime. Passports containing such biometric data are difficult to forge or alter, providing a reliable basis for verifying that the passport holder is the person described in the document.
- Embedded chips. ePassports are embedded with chips that store biometric data and other personal information in encrypted form. These chips are protected by a digital signature, ensuring they can only be accessed by authorized border control systems. This significantly reduces the risk of counterfeiting, misuse and identity theft.
- Physical security features. Most passports are forged by altering the main data page. Security features such as watermarks, dynamic holograms, UV elements, laser engraving, microtext or guilloche patterns – complex, machine-generated line patterns – protect the photos on this page. The use of tamper-resistant materials further enhances security. For example, the main data page of passports is often made of polycarbonate.
- International standards. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) sets comprehensive standards for biometrics, security features, machine readability and overall passport structure. Passports that meet these standards are recognized worldwide, enabling efficient and secure processing across borders.
- Secure issuance. For a country’s passports to be considered secure, stringent measures must be implemented during their issuance. These include accurate identification of applicants, production in highly secure facilities, ensuring that passports are issued only to authorized individuals, and maintaining secure, centralized databases of passport holder information.
“A secure passport combines advanced technology with highly tamper-resistant physical features,” explains Marc-Julian Siewert, CEO of Veridos. “Both digital and physical security are based on state-of-the-art technology and always win the technology race. Countries that consistently invest in modernizing their passports foster continued trust among international authorities.”