This presentation was made as part of a Poster Display at the the 24th All India Forensic Science Conference at Ahmedabad. The project details the variety of features present in the passports of the countries under study, and the why India;s is the most secure of them all.

1. Comparative study of
security features of
passports of different
countries.
~ Akashlina Basu*, Prajakta
Manve*, Dr. Pooja Ahuja**,
Dr. M. S. Dahiya***

2. Abstract
Passport is the most important identification document for a
citizen of a country. To prevent passport forgery various
distinctive security features are included while printing. These
features are holograms, microprinting, optical fibres, UV
fluorescent thread and emblem, watermark and ghost images.
In this study, we have used Visual Spectral Comparator (VSC-
40) for identifying these features in passports of 6 different
countries, namely, India, Bangladesh, Qatar, Kuwait,
Mozambique and Tanzania. After studying the different
passports, it could be concluded that the most important
security feature in Indian passport is the ‘Ghost image’ and
double lamination features that prevent counterfeiting.
Keywords: Forensic, Visual Spectral Comparator, Security
features.

3. Introduction
– Passport is a document issued by the Government of a
country for allowing its citizens to travel out of the
country.
– It generally contains identifying information about the
individual, sometimes along with a microchip with
biometric details.
– A passport holder is normally entitled to enter the country
that issued the passport, though some people entitled to
a passport may not be full citizens with right of abode.
– Some attest to status as a diplomat or other official,
entitled to rights and privileges such as immunity from
arrest and prosecution.
– They have a limited validity, usually between 5 and 10
years, variable among countries.

4. – The International Civic Aviation Organization (ICAO) issues passport standards
which are treated as recommendations to national governments. The size of
passport booklets normally complies with the ISO/ IEC 7810 ID-3 standard,
which specifies a size of 125 × 88 mm (4.921 × 3.465 in). This size is the B7
format. Passport cards are issued to the ID-1 (credit card sized) standard.
– A standard passport booklet format includes the cover, which contains the
name of the issuing country, a national symbol, a description of the document
(e.g., passport, diplomatic passport), and a biometric symbol, if applicable.
Inside, there is a title page, also naming the country. A data page follows,
containing information about the bearer and the issuing authority. There are
blank pages for visas, and to stamp for entries and exit. Passports have
numerical or alphanumerical designators (“serial number") assigned by the
issuing authority.
– Biometric passports (or e-Passports) have an embedded contactless chip in
order to conform to ICAO standards. These chips contain data about the
passport bearer, a photographic portrait in digital format, and data about the
passport itself. Many countries now issue biometric passports, in order to
speed up clearance through immigration and the prevention of identity fraud.
These reasons are disputed by privacy advocates.

5. – A passport stamp is a rubber stamp inked impression
received in one’s passport upon entering or exiting a
country.
– Immigration authorities usually place stamps in passports at
a port of entry or border crossing, as part of their
immigration control or customs procedures.
– In Japan, the passport entry sticker also contains a QR code
that allows the immigration official to electronically collect
information related to that entry.

6. Henley Passport Index
– The Henley Passport Index depicts ranking
of all the passports of the world according
to the number of countries their holders can
travel to visa-free.
– The ranking is based on exclusive data from
the International Air Transport Association
(IATA), which maintains the world’s largest
and most accurate database of travel
information .

8. Materials and Methods:
– Passports were collected from individuals of different
countries with their consent.
– The documents were analysed using VSC 40. Several
different light sources like UV light, Red filters, Transmitted
light, Co-axial lights and magnifier was used.
– The observations were noted down in tabular format.

9. Features India Bangladesh Tanzania Mozambique
Optical fibres 1) Visa pages
2) Backsides of
coverpages
1) Visa pages
2) Backsides of coverpages
1) From 2nd
page ( Caution
page)
1) Visa pages
Punched
serial
number
1) From the middle page 1) Present on visapages 1) From 1st page 1) From page
no. 1
UV
Fluorescent
features
1) Thread
2) Floral design
(guilloches) on front
pages and visa pages
3) Uv fluorescent lines
on the laminated
pages saying Bharat
Sarkar ( in Hindi) and
Government of India
on details page.
4) Ashoka chakra on
coverpages.
5) Page numbers on
visa pages
1) Two lotus
(blooming and budding) on
visapages.
2) Bengali and English script
page numbers on visapage.
3) “People’s Republic of
Bangladesh” on visapage
4) Serial number, Lotus
symbol and self image on
2nd page.
5) Two lotuses and map of
Bangladesh on back cover
1) Cover page –
PASSPORT &
United
Republic of
Tanzania.
2) Thread
3) Giraffes
design on 1st
page.
1) Thread
2) Backside of
cover page
having serial
code
3) Details page
consisting of
wavy writing
“REPÜBLICA
DE
MOÇAMB-
IQUE” and
coat of
Arms.

10. Features India Bangladesh Tanzania Mozambique
Hologram Absent 1) Backside of end
coverpage with a
lotus design.
2) Details page
consisting of
running tigers
and lotus symbol
with BGD and
People’s
Republic of
Bangladesh.
Absent 1) Star Hologram
on details page.
Barcodes 1) Present on 2nd last
details page
Absent Absent 1) Details page
Ghost Image
or Letter
Screen Image
1) Present on details
page
Absent Absent Absent
Microprinting 1) Lines on details
page and visapages
saying Government of
India and Bharat
Sarkar (in hindi).
1) GOB written
inside hologram.
Absent Absent

11. India
Ghost Image
UV Fluorescent writings Optical fibres, Fluorescent
thread & Guilloches
Microprinting

12. Bangladesh
Fluorescent symbols Microprinting
Fluorescent emblem
Hologram

13. Tanzania
Optical fibres
Fluorescent marks on
coverpage
Fluorescent design on
visapage

14. Mozambique
Fluorescent features
Fluorescent thread

15. Result and Conclusion:
– Based on the observations, it can be concluded that India has
the most secure passport among the 4 countries considered for
the project.
– Indian passport’s security lies in the presence of letter screen
image ( also known as ghost image) that is almost impossible to
forge.
– Another important security details is the double lamination
done on the detail page ( both back and front) by using heat
applied ultra violet film. This film has UV visible detailing on it,
thus preventing any subsequent alterations to the passport.

16. Future Advancements:
– Cloud passports: In these types of passports, all biometric
data and other informations is digitally stored.
– By 2019, Australia plans to create a system which will use
facial , iris, and fingerprint scans for the verification
purposes resulting in the reduction of physical passports.
– By 2018, Dubai International Airport will introduce cameras
in the biometrics tunnel that will scan people’s faces and
verify details against digital passports as they walk in.

17. Newspaper cuttings :

19. Thank you