Polycarbonate e-passport
Biometric travel document
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A polycarbonate e-passport is a type of travel document that features a biometric data page made from polycarbonate, a durable thermoplastic material, rather than a traditional paper or laminated paper sheet. Polycarbonate passports are designed to improve document durability, security, and resistance to tampering, by laser-engraving information into the inner layers of the plastic, which significantly enhances protection against counterfeiting and ensures greater long-term reliability compared to traditional laminated pages.[1][2][3]
_data_page.jpg)
History
Finland was the first country to introduce a passport with a polycarbonate data page in 1997.[4] Sweden followed shortly after, becoming the first to implement a biometric polycarbonate data page during the early adoption of e-passports. Since then, the design has gradually been adopted around the world.[5]
As of 2019, over 40 countries have transitioned from laminated paper biometric data pages to polycarbonate alternatives in their passports.[6]
Global adoption
Argentina: Issued since February 2026.[7]
Australia: Issued since September 2022.[8]
Bangladesh: Issued since January 2020.[citation needed]
Brunei: Issued since 2008.[9]
Cambodia: Issued since 2014.[10]
Canada: Introduced in May 2023.[11]
Colombia: Previously issued from September 2010 [12] to April 2026.[13]
East Timor: Issued since 2017.[14]
Hong Kong: Issued since 2007.[15][16]
India: Issued since 2025.[17]
Indonesia: Issued since 2023.[18]
Japan: Issued since March 2025.[19]
Jordan: Issued since 2025.[20]
Macau: Issued since 2009.[21]
Malaysia: Issued since 2013.[22]
New Zealand: Issued since 2009.[23]
Singapore: Issued since 2006.[24]
South Africa: Issued since 8 April 2009.[25]
South Korea: Issued since 2021.[26]
Thailand: Issued since 2020.[27]
United Kingdom: Issued since 2020.[28]
United States: Issued since 2021.[29]
Ukraine: Issued since 2015.[30]
