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Polycarbonate e-passport
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A polycarbonate e-passport is a type of travel document that features a biometric data page made from polycarbonate, a durable plastic material, rather than a laminated paper sheet. This construction offers enhanced protection for the passport’s electronic components and personal data. By laser-engraving information into the inner layers of the plastic, polycarbonate e-passports significantly improve resistance to counterfeiting and offer greater durability and reliability compared to traditional laminated pages.[1][2][3]
Examples of polycarbonate data pages
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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]
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List of polycarbonate passports
 |
Australia: Issued since September 2022.[7]
Cambodia: Issued since 2014.[8]
Canada: Introduced in May 2023.[9]
East Timor: Issued since 2017.[10]
Hong Kong: Issued since 2007.[11][12]
Indonesia: Issued since 2023.[13]
Japan: Issued since March 2025.[14]
Macau: Issued since 2009.[15]
Malaysia: Issued since 2013.[16]
New Zealand[17]
Singapore: Issued since 2006.[18]
South Korea: Issued since 2021.[19]
Thailand: Issued since 2020.[20]
United States: Issued since 2021.[21]
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See also
References
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