Govt to issue 10,000 electronic passports in 2011

Antara News, Saturday, December 18, 2010

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government plans to issue 10,000 electronic passports, dubbed e-passports, in the experimental period of 2011.

"Starting on January 26, 2011, the Law and Human Rights Ministry by way of the Immigration Directorate General, will conduct the experimental period, and issue 10,000 such passports," Maroloan Jonnis Baringbin, spokesman for the immigration directorate general, said in Jakarta Friday.

He said the e-passports will be issued in limited numbers in certain areas only as pilot project, such as the first class immigration office in West Jakarta, the first class immigration office at Soekarno-Hatta airport, and the first class immigration office in Central Jakarta.

Electronic passports are using chips containing biodata of the holders and biometric data as security measure of the passports required by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in passport issuing accredited country not later in 2015.