Singapore biometric passport personalized on Muehlbauer equipment

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has launched the Singapore Biometric Passport (BioPass) on 15 August 2006. With the implementation of BioPass, Singapore has met the US requirement for countries under the Visa Waiver Program to issue biometric passports before 26 October 2006. The project was awarded to a consortium led by NEC Solutions Asia Pacific Pte Ltd on 21 March 2005. Within a highly demanding Factory Acceptance Test, the Muehlbauer solutions were accepted in June 2005 directly at the Muehlbauer premises by representatives of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority. The Factory Acceptance Test had met the customers specifications in the test scenarios. With the public introduction of the Singapore Biometric Passport, the Muehlbauer IDENTIFIER 5400 machines procured for the project are expected to personalize about 250,000 of those new biometric laser engraved travel documents every year. Muehlbauer has many years of experience in technologically innovative security solutions and benefits from the experience of more than 40 ID projects in the past. The company is partner of many authorities and governments realizing the electronic passport projects and meets highest authority standards.