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The Director of Immigration, Mr Lai Tung Kwok, and the Director of Border Control of the United Kingdom Immigration Service, Mr Tony Smith, signed a Letter of Intent today (July 31) to participate in a trial to evaluate a simplified and secure process flow for international travellers.
The trial is a project under the Ideal Process Flow (IPF) concept developed by the Simplifying Passenger Travel Interest Group (SPTIG) led by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). It aims to test the application of the latest technology, in particular realising the benefits of using biometrics to help registered travellers enter and leave participating countries more quickly. The IPF has been designed to make use of biometric technology to simplify the existing procedures and to enhance the security of the airport and efficiency of border control.
The trial is to be conducted at London's Heathrow Airport, the Hong Kong International Airport and the Dubai International Airport and will involve border control authorities, airlines, airport authorities and technology providers.
Introduction of the e-passport has provided a new common platform for border control authorities throughout the world to develop a more simplified and yet more secure ways to process the increasing number of people travelling. Based on the capabilities provided by the e-passport, the trial will look into the possibilities of facilitating the travel of e-passport holders through automated facilities such as e-channel.
The signing of the Letter of Intent also signifies the co-operation of the two immigration services in pursuing the common objective of facilitating the travel of UK citizens and Hong Kong SAR residents.
Ends/Monday, July 31, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:32
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