Combatting passport photo fraud

An identity document made using this image can then be used by not one, but many different people for authentication by biometric identification systems. These kinds of manipulated facial images are very difficult for municipal staff to spot. However, passport photo fraud can be reliably prevented with Speed Capture – a ‘biometric passport machine’ that uses live recording processes.

The Speed Capture systems from Speed Biometrics GmbH do not only capture the facial image: citizens can capture and submit all biometric data that are required for a variety of other official identity documents - such as signatures and fingerprints - themselves. This process takes just three to five minutes. It not only makes applying for identity cards, passports, residence permits and EU driving licences more secure; it also makes applications significantly faster and easier. This reduces processing times for public authorities, while citizens benefit from greater convenience, lower costs and less onerous procedures.

On the machines, biometric data is collected and inspected using secunet biomiddle, a middleware for biometric systems and electronic identity documents (eIDs) that secunet developed jointly with the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). It makes it possible to use biometric system components and passport readers in a modular way for a variety of biometrics and eID applications.