Smart card-based foreign resident ID card dramatically improves document security
Smart card-based foreign resident ID card dramatically improves document security
Gemalto, a provider of digital security, announced Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda (INCM), the Portuguese Mint and National Printing Office, has started issuing its Sealys Resident cards, compliant with the electronic European Residence Permit (eERP) specifications and the latest ICAO Extended Access Control standards. Gemalto is delivering 150,000 cards annually for the next two years, supplying INCM with its Coesys Issuance personalization solution. The smart card permits dramatically improve document security and by deploying them, Portugal is fulfilling the European Union (EU) recommendation that requires all 27 member states to roll out the eERP from 2010.
The electronic European Residence Permit card provides temporary residence entitlement for non-EU citizens for any stay more than three months and shorter work-related stays. It embeds a contactless chip which securely stores facial image and two fingerprints, simplifying residency entitlement verification. As defined in the eERP specifications, the contactless interface is mandatory and meets the same EU standards as biometric e-passports do. The permit also stores ID numbers, such as social security and taxpayer identifiers.
“We selected Gemalto's digital security technology for both our national identity and electronic passport programs,” said Jose Toscano, Executive Director and Member of the Board at INCM. “INCM is extremely pleased with Gemalto's capacity to deliver the chip, the operating system and the inlay in due time, for electronic Portuguese Resident Permit card, with the quality of service we already experienced with our national e-ID cards and second-generation e-passports.”
“Gemalto is proud to cooperate with INCM in the delivery of the first electronic European Residence Permit,” said Jacques Seneca, Executive VP of the Security Business Unit for Gemalto. “The industry estimates that some 20 million people within the EU require such a permit for various reasons such as work, study, family ties or asylum seeking.”