As the East Timor government gets set commence the next step in border security with the issuance of e-passports to citizens, it has taken a moment to recognise the driving forces behind the initiative, including Gemalto and its local partner Visi Mitra Unipessoal Lda.

East Timor has been an independent nation since 2002, benefiting from local government investment in modernization. According to Gemalto, that modernization is part of an initiative to make it easier for citizens to travel.

Authorities are able to register ePassport applicants, capture fingerprints at selected government offices and issue travel documents. The passport pages also feature polycarbonate pages embedded with a 'secure contactless microprocessor' and eTravel software.

"We now have the capability to issue a more secure ICAO-compliant ePassport so that our citizens can avoid any inconvenience at the borders,"comments Ivo Valente, the Minister of Justice of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.

"Gemalto's one-stop solution allows us to migrate to the latest electronic travel documents with ease and confidence. It works with all major printers, and for both centralized and decentralized issuance. East Timor citizens can now travel anywhere around the world, with unprecedented levels of security and privacy."

Gemalto and Visi Mitra Unipessoal Lda helped to manufacture the e-passports to ICAO-compliance. The complete border processing solution also includes biometric data capture, de-duplication of redundant biometric information, disaster and data recovery.

It also features a full turnkey public key infrastructure and secure issuance of the document. Visi Mitra Unipessoal Lda will provide support and maintenance services, while KOMSCO will be subcontracted to produce the passport booklet.

"Gemalto strongly supports the ICAO's Traveler Identification Program (TRIP). Our solution is designed with multiple layers of security, from data collection and booklet production to ePassport issuance and use at the borders," comments Ng Fook-Seng, Gemalto's senior vice president of Government Programs, Asia.

"As a leading supplier of over 30 national ePassport solutions worldwide, and experts of both documents and related solutions, Gemalto is please to support East Timor to jump on to the next-generation electronic passports and secure the entire chain of trust for a safer travel experience."