What is an e-Passport?
Definition
e-Passport
An e-Passport (also called a biometric passport) is a passport with an embedded RFID chip storing a digital copy of the holder's photo and personal data. The chip is what e-gates at modern border crossings read to match the live face against the stored reference image.
Key facts
| First introduced | Malaysia 1998; widely adopted from 2003 after the ICAO 9303 update. |
|---|---|
| Chip standard | ICAO 9303 Part 9 — Biometric Identification and Electronic Storage. |
| Stored data | Photo (mandatory), name, nationality, date of birth, expiry. Fingerprints stored in some countries (EU since 2009). |
| Chip technology | Contactless RFID, ISO/IEC 14443. |
| Identifying mark | Gold biometric symbol on the front cover of the passport. |
How an e-Passport works at the border
The traveller places the passport on a reader at the e-gate. The reader picks up the chip via RFID. The gate camera captures the live face. The system compares the stored chip photo against the live face — if they match, the gate opens. The whole process takes 5-15 seconds.
Why the photo at issuance matters for years
The photo stored in the chip is the photo you submitted at passport application. It is the reference image used at every border crossing for the life of the passport (typically 10 years). A poor-quality photo at application means 10 years of marginal biometric matches.
Countries issuing e-Passports
150+ countries issue e-Passports as of 2025. The EU, UK, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, China, India and most other major countries issue only e-Passports for new applications. Non-chip passports are still valid until expiry but cannot use most e-gates.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my passport is an e-Passport?
Look for a gold-coloured biometric symbol on the front cover — it shows a small rectangle with a circle inside. Any passport issued by an EU state, the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan or most other developed nations since 2010 is an e-Passport.
Can my e-Passport be cloned?
The chip data is digitally signed by the issuing authority. A cloned chip cannot replicate the signature, so e-gates can detect cloning. The signature is checked against the issuing country's public-key infrastructure during the e-gate read.
Does my e-Passport have my fingerprints stored?
Depends on the issuing country. EU passports include two fingerprints by law since 2009. US, UK, Australia and Canada do not store fingerprints in the passport chip (they store them separately in visa records). Check your country's passport application form for the explicit list.