what do immigration officers look for in a travel document? charlie stevens national document fraud...
TRANSCRIPT
What do Immigration Officers look for in a travel document?
Charlie Stevens
National Document Fraud Unit
UK Immigration Service
Introduction
What is the purpose of a travel document?
It is a document that
confirms identity and
nationality for the
purpose of crossing
international borders
Why does it need to be secure?
To ensure that the document cannot be counterfeited or unofficially altered. An Immigration official will use the document to confirm a person’s nationality, identity and entitlement to leave to enter.
What is the role of ICAO?
• More than 200 countries issue passports
• Each country issues many different docs.
• ICAO promotes a standard layout
• Recommended safeguard standards
• Digital images are more secure
• The MRZ offers global machine-readability
• Standards for biometrics are vital
Training
Because of the numbers of different travel documents that are in circulation, it is usual for Immigration officials to be trained to identify generic rather than specific security features.
It would be impossible to remember the specifics of every travel document.
That is why adherence to ICAO specifications is so vital.
How is the document checked?
Verification of a travel document takes place on four levels.
• Level 1 – on entry• Level 2 – back office• Level 3 – forensic lab• Level 4 - manufacturer
Why is Level 1 so important?
• This is the start of the chain. If suspicions are not raised here, level 2 – 4 checks cannot be conducted.
• Often it is behaviour that gives rise to suspicion, not the document.
• At this point impostors as well as document fraud are identified.
Equipment used at Level 1
• MRZ reader
• Ultra-violet light
• Transmitted light
• Limited magnification
• Full page reader
Detection at Level 1
• At this level it is the passenger's bona fides that are tested
• Compliance of MRZ is validated
• Check of passenger against watch lists
• Check of document number against watch lists
• Are they the rightful holder?
• Security features checked
Document security features verifiable at Level 1
• Substrate features – UV dull paper– Complex multi-tonal watermark– Random fibres (visible and/or UV)– Planchettes– Embedded thread
Document security features verifiable at Level 1
• Security printing– Intaglio with latent image– Anti-copy features– Rainbow– Guilloche– Micro-text
Document security features verifiable at Level 1
• Laminate features– UV inks– Visible safeguards– Special inks (thermochromic, phosphorescent)– 3M
Document security features verifiable at Level 1
• Security features– Optically Variable Devices– Optically Variable Inks– ImageperfTM
– CLITM, TLITM, etc.
Document security features verifiable at Level 1
• Tactile features– Embossings– Laser etchings– Raised text
BUT!
It must be borne in mind that an Immigration official only has a very short time and little in the way of equipment to conduct all of these
checks.
Without standardisation
How is standardisation achieved?
Document 9303
Thank you!
Charlie StevensNational Document Fraud Unit
UK Immigration Service
[email protected]+44 20 8745 2480