The government proposes to change the pass law making it possible to store biometric information in the form of fingerprint in the passport. – This will provide a faster control of the traveling, in addition to increased security at border controls, “said Justice Minister Knut Storberget.
Storage of fingerprints in the passport will provide an automated passport processing, with the opportunity for more effective border control.
The proposal means that Norwegian citizens will have to submit fingerprints (two fingers) when applying for new passports, and those fingerprints are going to be stored in their passports. The recording and storage of fingerprints will be applied from January 2010. The price of passports will not be changed as a result of this. It is further proposed a transitional arrangement, so that people with a passport without a fingerprint can use this in the EU / Schengen area as long as the passport is valid.
