Over 140,000 Applications for Second Generation Biometric Passports Containing Digital Fingerprints Have Been Received since its Introduction in June17 November 2009
Dr Tibor Draskovics, Minister of Justice and Law Enforcement, Dr István Ignácz, President of the Central Office for Administrative and Electronic Public Services, and Mr Tibor Polgár Managing Director of VÁTI Hungarian Public Non-Profit Limited Liability Company for Regional Development and Town Planning presented the results of the introduction of second generation e-passports in Hungary achieved to date within the framework of a joint press conference held on 13 November 2009.
Passports also containing the fingerprint of the holder are now being issued in Hungary from 28 June 2009 as the outcome of a European Union-funded project supporting the creation and introduction of second generation biometric passports.
Since its introduction in June, citizens applied for 140,758 second generation biometric passports up to 31 October 2009.
The second generation biometric passport project has also created the opportunity for parents or guardians of minors under the age of 14 to apply for personal ID cards.
According to registration data, 46,608 applications for personal ID cards for minors under the age of 14 were received up to 31 October 2009.
The aim of the introduction of second generation e-passports also containing the digital fingerprint of their holders and the necessary infrastructure and IT developments tying in with this is for Hungary to fulfil relevant obligations ensuing from membership in the European Union. By using biometric identifiers, travel documents become safer and prevent unauthorised use, since a reliable and explicitly verifiable connection is created between the document and its true owner.
Minors under the age of 14 holding personal ID cards may use this document to travel to many countries in Europe; consequently, additional financial strains tying in with the issuing of passports will cease, since applications for personal ID cards are processed free of charge.
This project was implemented with the help of European Union funding amounting to 989 million HUF through the co-financing of the European Regional Development Fund within the framework of the Electronic Administration Operational Programme.