A polycarbonate e-passport is a type of travel document that features a
biometric data page made from
polycarbonate
Polycarbonates (PC) are a group of thermoplastic polymers containing carbonate ester, carbonate groups in their chemical structures. Polycarbonates used in engineering are strong, toughness, tough materials, and some grades are optically transp ...
, 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
A counterfeit is a fake or unauthorized replica of a genuine product, such as money, documents, designer items, or other valuable goods. Counterfeiting generally involves creating an imitation of a genuine item that closely resembles the original ...
and offer greater durability and reliability compared to traditional laminated pages.
Finland was the first country to introduce a passport with a polycarbonate data page in 1997. 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.
As of 2019, over 40 countries have transitioned from laminated paper biometric data pages to polycarbonate alternatives in their passports.
See also
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Biometric passport
A biometric passport (also known as an electronic passport, e-passport or a digital passport) is a passport that has an embedded electronic microprocessor chip, which contains biometrics, biometric information that can be used to authenticate ...
References
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Polycarbonates
Passports
Data security
Information sensitivity