Belgian FPS chooses Zetes

 

The Belgian Federal Public Service (FPS) Foreign Affairs has selected Zetes to supply technology and support for the registration of the biometric data of visa and passport applicants.

Zetes will be supplying the equipment, biometric software and technical support for visa and passport registration. The technology will be installed at embassies, consulates, and border crossing points.

The company says its solution is a system of live enrolment, which allows users to register a photo, finger prints and digital signature at the same time. In order to meet the ICAO international standards on photos for travel documents, Zetes says it has also developed booths specially designed for this purpose, as well as software that automatically detects non-complying photos.

The contract with the FPS Foreign Affairs covers the delivery of 144 stations, to be installed at the end of 2009 and in the course of 2010 in 120 consulates and 13 border posts. The first posts to be installed will be in the Middle East.

“The European Union is requiring the incorporation of biometric data in passports and visas, and the ICAO is laying down the standards to be met, in particular with regard to the visual characteristics of the photos,” says Alain Wirtz, CEO, Zetes. “We have used the know-how we implemented for other projects, in particular Biodev II and the Ivory Coast, to develop a solution which is both stable and flexible, and will meet the requirements of countries having to comply with these new standards. This will help Belgium to offer more secure documents so that it can fight fraud and identity theft with increased efficiency.”