History of the current ePassport
Timeline of the ePassport
- 1998: Malaysia becomes the first country to issue an ePassport. However, it is not ICAO-compliant, as ICAO specifications won't exist until 2003.
- 2003: ICAO adopts machine-readable travel document (MRTD) specifications for a passport that includes an embedded chip containing the bearer's personal identification data and photo.
- 2004: Belgium launches the first ICAO-compliant ePassport.
- 2006: The United States begins issuing ePassports.
- 2009: 57% of all passports issued around the world this year are ePassports (about 60 million).
- 2013: Some 100 countries around the world are issuing ePassports. Nearly 400 million ePassports are in circulation worldwide.
References
INFO
Work in progress