Thales delivers e-passport management system in Uzbekistan

Thales, in cooperation with the prime contractor Oberthur Technologies, has delivered a complete biometric e-passport issuance and control solution for the Republic of Uzbekistan, marking the new system's entry into operational service throughout the country.

In 2010, Thales was selected by Oberthur Technologies to deliver the e-passport system for the Republic of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Finance.

To meet the requirements, Thales has supplied 411 biometric data acquisition stations at locations throughout Uzbekistan and at its embassies around the world. The Group is also responsible for the centralised system that monitors passport applications and manages passport issuance. The border control system is in place at 56 border posts.

"Our partnership with Oberthur Technologies has been a real success because it has enabled us to combine our complementary technologies and commercial coverage to provide Uzbekistan with a complete, turnkey solution for the management of secure identity documents. The contract is also a key reference in the border control market," commented Dominique Gaiardo, Vice President in charge of Thales's Protection Systems business.