Fingerprint-storing passports issued

Du Zhendi, 22, who graduated from Beijing International Studies University this year and is pursuing further education in Moscow, leaves her fingerprint while applying for an e-passport at the exit-entry administration of Beijing public security bureau on May 8. Fitted with a chip containing the holder's name, photograph and fingerprints, the new e-passport began to be issued nationwide on Tuesday. Wang Jing / China Daily

Chinese applicants began to receive new digitized passports on Tuesday.

More than 38 million Chinese have private passports and the number is expected to increase 20 percent annually, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

More than 90 countries have already adopted such passports.

The new passport complies with international standards - incorporating a digital chip that stores the holder's name, birth date and photo.

It also contains scans of the bearer's fingerprints.

The owner's signature will be scanned to print on the passport, instead of being written.

Police added a number of updated technologies and materials to raise the anti-fraud features of the passport.

Experts said digital passports will facilitate police work and help fight crime.

Wu Xinming, a professor with the foreign policing affairs department of the Chinese People's Public Security University, said biological features would identify criminals or terrorists who are in disguise or using false names.

"They could no longer use their siblings' documents or fake ID cards to get passports."

Wu added that fingerprint collection will enhance police databases and fight corruption as officials' overseas trips can be traced.

Current passports remain valid until their expiry dates.

Most applicants told China Daily they welcomed the new technology.

Qian Lei, 22, who graduated from Beijing International Studies University this year and is pursuing further education in Moscow, said there were fewer application procedures than she expected.

"I thought that besides fingerprints, we also might have our retinas scanned."

Qian said she hopes new technologies can shorten the waits at border controls.

"In the future, we may not have to present our passport but simply scan fingers to cross."

Du Zhendi, a classmate of Qian, said she once lost her passport in Russia and the process to reissue one outside China was extremely complicated.

"Chip information will possibly make it easier to get a new passport when the holders are abroad, because we may prove our identities with fingerprints."

Adili, who applied for a passport to visit Kazakhstan at the Urumqi public security bureau in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, said: "Digitization has brought great convenience - so will the digitized passport. I feel lucky to get one."

Contact the writers at wanghuazhong@chinadaily.com.cn and shaowei@chinadaily.com.cn