Biometric passport - a document that is vital for those people who like to travel. The FMS of our country has already stopped issuing the usual certificates that were in use earlier. Now only a new sample of biometric passport is valid.
How did biometric documents come about?
The very first reason why it was decided to start issuing not a regular, but a biometric passport is because there are too many cases related to forgery of documents. Too many false identities. And this problem was solved by introducing a completely new technology for personal identification. In any case, this became a novelty for passport and visa documents.
Why biometric? Everything is very simple. The word "biometrics" itself means the process of collecting, processing, as well as storing data on certain personality characteristics associated with its physiology. A person’s weight, height, eye color, fingerprints - this is an example of such specific information. The document in which such data is stored is almost impossible to forge. After all, all information is stored in digital format and recorded on a special device in electronic form. So in terms of security, this document is almost perfect. That is why he gained such popularity.
Information and its specifics
How was it decided what kind of information should be entered into a chip embedded in a biometric passport? Everything is simple. Specialists who developed the new document selected precisely such personality characteristics that are unique. Indeed, there is not a single person in the world with absolutely identical fingerprints or with the same irises. Even one point or line makes them different from each other. As a matter of fact, it was decided to include this information in the document. Plus, of course, the photo image - because the facial features are also unique.
But then in the world there were disputes as to whether it is right to enter such data into a biometric passport. Many said that this is confidential information. The debate did not subside, and then it was decided that all countries would enter on the chip only a photograph of the owner of the document, but the countries regarding the iris and prints would decide for themselves. In the Russian Federation, photos and prints are recorded on the chip - eye color is not indicated.
How to get a new passport?
There is nothing easier. Absolutely any citizen of the Russian Federation can receive a new biometric passport without problems. What is needed for this? Only come to the FMS at the place of residence, stay or actual residence with a certain set of documents. You only need to have a completed passport application form and a copy of the three pages of a civil identification card with you. You will also need the original general passport. The only difficulty that may arise is the queues. They are always long in the FMS. But even a few hours to spend it is not a pity. They serve quickly - literally 5-7 minutes, taking fingerprints on a scanner, photographing and entering information into a database. After this, the person is free - you will only need to come after a month and a half to get the finished document. But those people who made a passport at the place of residence, and not registration, will have to wait longer - 4 months.
How to fill in the form correctly
So, the application form can be found on the Internet, but it is better to go to the office and purchase it. There it will be filled in by an office employee, plus they will make copies of a passport. In fact, this is the best option, although you have to pay 400 rubles for all this. Simply, many people make mistakes when filling out, but employees know how, what and where to write. The biometric passport application form consists of two A4 sheets with many columns. Surname, name, patronymic, date of birth - everything, as usual. There is also a line that indicates the type of activity, for example, "Secretary at Firm N from 2012 to the present." If a person does not work, but studies, then "student" and the name of the university are written.
There is still a separate column for those who decided to apply for a biometric passport outside their city. That is, at the place of stay. It is necessary to indicate where at the moment the person lives. That, in fact, is all the information that should be written there. And already on the spot, in the office, a photo of a person will be pasted into this profile.
Interesting features worth knowing
Well, if the principle by which an identity is verified at the border with another country with an ordinary passport is understandable, then what about the new, biometric one? Not so everything is complicated. To extract data from a microchip embedded in a biometric document, you just need to enter into the computer the information that the laser printed on the plastic page of the passport. A special scanner is used for this.
In general, this document looks almost no different from the standard. Unless on the cover there is a special logo indicating that the passport contains data in electronic form. Everything else is on the first page. It is not covered with laminate, but is made entirely of plastic.
Advantages and disadvantages
Well, in the end, a few words should be said about the advantages of this document and its shortcomings. Of the pluses - the fact that the process of crossing the border is much faster, plus to all forged this document is unrealistic. And besides, its validity is ten years, not five. And abroad, such a passport does not raise any questions, but an old-style document, in which case they will be checked longer. And of the minuses, perhaps, only the queue and the increased amount paid as a state duty. For people over 18, it is 3,500 rubles, not 1,500. But this is understandable, because for the manufacture of such a passport other technologies are used that require costs. In principle, not so significant disadvantages, if you put them next to the benefits.