During the launch of the new Maltese ePassport, the Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms, Citizenship and the Simplification of Administrative Processes Julia Farrugia Portelli held that, “with the necessary preparations and production coming to an end; from the paper production in Bathford, UK, to the printing and binding in Malta, the Maltese people are now the bearers of a new technologically advanced and highly secure ePassport, which combines travel with culture and heritage.” She added that the intricate imagery used in the inner visa pages, which depicts Malta’s long and colourful history, embodies the island’s identity.

However, the Parliamentary Secretary stressed that the new ePassport will mainly stand out for its new security features. As a matter of fact, she held that there are multiple layers of security features which will serve to verify the document’s authenticity. Such features are either visible to the naked eye or through the use of appropriate viewing and forensic devices.

Through the use of cutting-edge technology, the new travel document will further prevent document forgery and the fraudulent use of other people’s identity. As a matter of fact, one’s personal details will be safely captured on a polycarbonate bio-data page, which will make it extremely difficult to forge or tamper with without leaving any signs or trail of attack.

This advanced bio-page solution consists of a number of individual layers fused together under immense pressure and heat to create a secure card. The security features incorporated in the document include UV and rainbow prints, watermarks, an interwoven hinge with embossed design, a see-through window and DOVID features, amongst others. The personal data found on the polycarbonate bio-page will be laser-engraved, producing a very high definition grey scale portrait. Furthermore, the encrypted visa page images used, which are printed in secure ink, are primarily designed for security rather than aesthetic reasons.

All in all, the new travel document is designed to ensure strong performance, longevity and durability, as Identity Malta plans to launch an extended version of the Ordinary and Diplomatic passports, which will contain more visa pages, amidst growing travel demands. 

Identity Malta Agency CEO Anton Sevasta explained that the gradual roll-out of the new ePassports will happen over a span of years. The new travel document will be issued on a new application or the renewal of a passport, at no additional cost. Existing travel documents will remain valid and fit for travel until their expiry date.

In her concluding remarks, Parliamentary Secretary Farrugia Portelli held that, in the face of the global threat of document forgery and identity theft, the Maltese government is taking a proactive stand in protecting its citizens’ identity, and that the issuance of a new eID card will follow next year.