ePassport of Somalia

Civil war in Somalia had destroyed all government infrastructure and virtually all records on citizens.
Unauthorized Somali Passports were being issued in Somalia and neighbouring countries.
Several countries refused to recognize old Somali passport due to number of forgeries & the fact that passports were being issued to “non-citizens”
Somalia Government needed a solution to help identify its citizens – the solution needed to be:
Affordable
Highly secure (prevent forgeries)
Internationally complaint with ICAO regulations
Since we were starting from scratch – we wanted to ensure that the new solution would support us and meet international standards for many years to come.
We decided to maximize the use of technology and utilize a web based enrolment, Approval and issuance infrastructure coupled with the technology of ePassports & Smart ID cards.
ePassports have a micro-processor chip embedded into the passport book where the bearer’s bio data and biometrics (photo & fingerprint) are stored – these can be verified at any border control with the necessary ePassport readers
Our major objectives were:
Centralized Repository of all Citizen Information
Online, secure web based Application & Approval Process
Systems should be able to continue to function locally in the event of a communication link failure
Ability to track any application online from start to finish
Ensure all citizens receive their ePassport / ID Card within 7-14 days
Utilize an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to prevent multiple enrolments.
The new ePassport & National ID card is extremely secure and uses Biometrics (fingerprints) to securely identify individuals.
Somalia finally has an accurate and reliable way of identifying its citizens.
Citizens receive their ePassport & Smart ID Card within 14 days of application.
New ePassport has been recognized and accepted by over 100 countries already.