Polycarbonate e-passport

Examples of polycarbonate data pages

Australian passport

German passport

Austrian passport

United States passport

A polycarbonate e-passport is a type of travel document that features a biometric data page made from polycarbonate, a durable thermoplastic material, rather than a traditional paper or laminated paper sheet. Polycarbonate passports are designed to improve document durability, security, and resistance to tampering, by laser-engraving information into the inner layers of the plastic, which significantly enhances protection against counterfeiting and ensures greater long-term reliability compared to traditional laminated pages. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

History

Finland was the first country to introduce a passport with a polycarbonate data page in 1997. ^[4] Sweden followed shortly after, becoming the first to implement a biometric polycarbonate data page during the early adoption of e-passports. Since then, the design has gradually been adopted around the world. ^[5]

As of 2019, over 40 countries have transitioned from laminated paper biometric data pages to polycarbonate alternatives in their passports. ^[6]

Global adoption

• Australia: Issued since September 2022. ^[7]
• Brunei: Issued since 2008. ^[8]
• Cambodia: Issued since 2014. ^[9]
• Canada: Introduced in May 2023. ^[10]
• Colombia: Issued since September 2010. ^[11]
• East Timor: Issued since 2017. ^[12]
• Hong Kong: Issued since 2007. ^{[13] [14]}
• India: Issued since 2025.^{[ citation needed ]}
• Indonesia: Issued since 2023. ^[15]
• Japan: Issued since March 2025. ^[16]
• Jordan: Issued since 2025. ^[17]
• Macau: Issued since 2009. ^[18]
• Malaysia: Issued since 2013. ^[19]
• New Zealand: Issued since 2009. ^[20]
• Singapore: Issued since 2006. ^[21]
• South Africa: Issued since 8 April 2009. ^[22]
• South Korea: Issued since 2021. ^[23]
• Thailand: Issued since 2020. ^[24]
• United States: Issued since 2021. ^[25]
• Ukraine: Issued since 2015. ^[26]

See also

• Biometric passport

References

1. "Understanding the Key Differences Between Polycarbonate E-Passports and Regular E-Passports". Indonesia Consultant Agency. 2024-08-23. Retrieved 2024-11-24.^{[ dead link ]}
2. "Information about the Next Generation U.S. Passport". travel.state.gov. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
3. "KINEGRAM for passport protection and passport authentication". www.kinegram.com. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
4. "Finland Selects Gemalto for Its New Secure Electronic Passport and eID". printed electronics now. Jan 22, 2016.
5. "The Paper vs Polycarbonate Passport Debate An ITW Security Division White Paper – March 2017" (PDF). www.itwsf.com.
6. Jacquot, Frederic (October 5, 1996). "How Polycarbonate is Creating More Secure Passport Datapages". HID. Archived from the original on 8 December 2024.
7. "Australia has a new passport". Australian Passport Office. 14 September 2022. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023.
8. "New biometric passport to be launched today". www.bt.com.bn. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2025-10-19.
9. Everyday (2014-07-16). "Cambodia introduces new passport with ten-year validity". Everyday.com.kh. Archived from the original on 2019-12-21. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
10. "Canada unveils new passport design with state-of-the-art security features". www.canada.ca. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. 10 May 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
11. "If you are leaving Colombia, check your passport and avoid inconveniences due to not having the document in order". www.cancilleria.gov.co. 24 Apr 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
12. Thales Group (2017-06-06). "East Timor government goes live with Gemalto's electronic passport solution". Thales Group . Retrieved 2025-08-07.
13. "New passports to come with security upgrades, creative UV prints". South China Morning Post. 1 February 2019.
14. "Physical Features and Design of Electronic Passport". Hong Kong Immigration Department. 1 February 2019.
15. Directorate General of Immigration (2023-05-04). "Apa Itu Paspor Elektronik Lembar Polikarbonat dan Di Mana Bisa Mengajukannya? Simak Penjelasan Berikut Ini!". Directorate General of Immigration (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-08-07.
16. "Passport Design To Be Changed To Combat Forgery ; New Passport Applications Will Be Available Online From March 24". japannews.yomiuri.co.jp. The Yomiuri Shimbun. 4 January 2025.
17. Agency (Petra), Jordan News. "Jordanian e-passports to be issued early next September-CSPD". Jordan News Agency - Petra. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
18. NEWS GOV-MO: 第三代澳門特區旅行證件 智•慧齊升 [The Third Generation of Macao SAR Travel Documents: Smarter and More Intelligent]. NEWS GOV-MO (in Chinese (Macau)). Gabinete de Comunicação Social do Governo da RAEM. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
19. Thales Group. "The Malaysian electronic passport is a piece of art". Thales Group . Retrieved 2025-08-07.
20. "New style ePassport released today". Beehive.govt.nz. Government of New Zealand. 24 November 2009. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
21. "Evolution of Passports". ICA. Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). 2006: Singapore's biometric passport (BioPass) was officially launched. The BioPass contained the holder's unique biometric identities such as fingerprint data, facial image and passport details on a contactless chip. With the personal particulars digitally stored in the chip embedded in a polycarbonate data-page, the BioPass complied with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation for electronic machine-readable travel documents.
22. "South Africans get new high security passport from today".
23. "외교부 여권안내 홈페이지".
24. Perala, Alex (2020-08-11). "Thales Formally Delivers Thailand's New Biometric Passport". ID Tech. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
25. "Information about the Next Generation U.S. Passport". United States Department of State. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
26. "New series of Ukrainian passports in 2015". www.catalogueofcurrencies.com. Retrieved 2025-10-02.