ICAO defines new biometric specifications

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is working and promoting new specifications for the use of facial biometrics and the homologation of visible digital seals for environments without limitations (VDS-NC) with the aim of quickly authenticating and defining data sets that may be required from travelers, preserving the privacy of this information.

Melvin Cintron, ICAO Regional Director for North America, Central America and the Caribbean, told A21 that the agency's New Technologies Working Group (NTWG) is working on the next evolution of specifications that allow such data to be shared more easily before the trip.

“The goal is that this data can be presented using other types of devices, such as smartphones, further facilitating the implementation of seamless and contactless travel; with intelligent use, safe; that also guarantees the security of personal data”, assured the

“By encoding facial image biometrics on a machine-readable integrated circuit chip, the ePassport enables the efficient use of reliable biometric matching, ensuring that the person presenting the document is the rightful holder. This makes border control automation feasible,” explained Melvin Cintron.

He added that ICAO also supports travel facilitation by providing its own services to States. In particular, it operates the Public Key Directory (PKD) that allows them to trust the data obtained from electronic documents, including the biometric data of said documents.

“PKD is therefore key to automation, limiting the need for manual interventions otherwise required for document verification,” he noted.

While the VDS-NC is a secure tool for encoding health information to help and guide State authorities, such as ministries of the interior, foreign affairs, health and their agencies, for use in travel. "Thus, the authorities can issue health vouchers in reliable barcodes worldwide and for the proper validation of health vouchers issued by third parties."

He stated that ICAO specifications in the area of ​​travel documents are conceived as building blocks that offer solutions that are needed today, “but can be reused, if necessary, for future challenges, including future emergencies.” of health".

Since the ICAO High-Level Conference on COVID-19, held in October 2021, the reasonable implementation of technologies has been promoted, with which the resilience of the aviation sector can be increased in the face of future health-related challenges.

“By increasing capabilities between state authorities, travelers, operators, and the authorities themselves can benefit from more efficient and effective implementation projects. The work also improves compliance with specifications agreed upon by consensus among state technical experts in the NTWG, improving global interoperability to the benefit of all stakeholders,” said Melvin Cintron.

He added that the NTWG will continue to work closely with immigration and border authorities in all of its activities to support the implementation of these specified technologies.

The establishment of Advance Passenger Information (API) systems and the development of the capacity to process data from the Passenger Name Record (PNR) are obligations of the Contracting States of ICAO in Annex 9: Facilitation of the Convention of Chicago, in addition to being obligations of the UN Member States, by virtue of resolutions 2178, 2396 and 2482 of the Security Council.