National ID Returns to Somalia, Backed By Biometrics

Welcome to FindBiometrics’ digest of identity industry news. Here’s what you need to know about the world of digital identity and biometrics today:

Somalian Government Launches Biometric ID System

The Somalian government has launched a biometric national ID system, marking the return of a national identity registry of any kind after three decades of political turmoil. “Today marks a great day for Somalia as we finally lay the foundations of a reliable and all-inclusive national identification system that is recognized worldwide,” proclaimed Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre at a conference announcing the system’s launch. Authorities are now registering Somalis’ face and fingerprint biometrics in the ID system, and digitizing their signatures. The project was supported by the World Bank.

Australia Awards Biometric Visa Processing Contract

The Australian government has awarded a biometric collection service contract to VFS Global, a major outsourcing and technology services company. The contract will see VFS Global offering visa services at 165 Australian Biometric Collection Services in the Americas, Mekong, Middle East, North Africa, North Asia, Pacific, South Asia and Southeast Asia. The services will be rolled out in two phases, with an initial phase aimed at bringing them to 59 biometric visa centers by January 1 of 2024. VFS Global has been working with the Australian government since 2004.

Israeli Facial Recognition Legislation Gets Approval From Ministerial Committee

Proposed legislation aimed at legalizing law enforcement’s use of facial recognition cameras in Israel’s public spaces has received cabinet support ahead of a vote in the Knesset, Israel’s parliamentary body. A vote of approval from the Ministerial Committee on Legislation is usually a sign that a bill will pass steadily through the Knesset, though the Committee added certain conditions to its support for the biometric bill, including the addition of further guidelines such as restricting the use of facial recognition technology at “freedom of expression events” such as peaceful protests.

Singapore Amends Immigration Legislation to Support Digital Transformation

Singapore’s Parliament has approved legislation aimed at amending the country’s immigration policies to help the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority to proceed with an ambitious digital transformation plan. That includes the ICA’s “New Clearance Concept”, which is meant to make the travel process seamless through the use of technologies including biometrics. Authorities are aiming to establish a comprehensive, curb-to-gate passenger processing system that uses biometrics to automatically identify travelers throughout the entire departure process at Changi Airport in the first half of 2024.

IDEX Gets Another Biometric Cards Partner

IDEX Biometrics has established a partnership with KL Hi-Tech, a Hyderabad-based card manufacturer. The companies will work together to bring cards based on IDEX’s fingerprint scanning card platform to market in the first quarter of 2024. KL Hi-Tech has an annual production capacity of 36 million dual-interface payment cards, and is accredited by Visa, Mastercard, and RuPay, a domestic card scheme established by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Earlier this year, IDEX announced that it had received a production order valued at nearly $1 million that would see a “leading European manufacturer” produce fingerprint-scanning cards for banks in India, Bangladesh, and Turkey.

Trust Stamp Launches Wearable Tracking Device

Trust Stamp has announced a new wearable tracking device for individuals on parole and in other supervised situations. The Tap-In Band is a tamper-resistant, wrist-worn device that uses NFC technology communicate with the end user’s smartphone. When a user taps the device against their smartphone, GPS tracking is leveraged to confirm their location. Facial recognition, meanwhile, is applied through the phone’s camera in order to verify the end user’s identity. No biometric images or templates are stored on the wristband, nor does it have an internal battery. “While the Tap-In Band can be used for continual monitoring programs, we believe that the highest and best use is to support programs that require scheduled or randomly triggered check-ins,” said Trust Stamp CEO Gareth N. Genner.

Incode Teams With Aristotle Integrity On Gambling KYC

Incode Technologies has teamed up with Aristotle Integrity, which has integrated the former’s biometric identity verification tech into Integrity AutoDoc, an identity and age verification system that Aristotle Integrity offers to the gambling industry. In announcing the partnership, the companies said that Aristotle “manages a majority of transactions done within the gambling sector,” noting that it is licensed in 22 US states and territories. Incode’s biometric technology will boost the speed of AutoDoc’s onboarding system, while its Passive Liveness Detection system will enhance its security.

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September 18, 2023 – by Alex Perala