1. What do Immigration Officers look for in a travel document?
Charlie Stevens
National Document Fraud Unit
UK Immigration Service

2. Introduction What is the purpose of a travel document?
It is a document that
confirms identity and
nationality for the
purpose of crossing
international borders

3. Why does it need to be secure?
To ensure that the document cannot be counterfeited or unofficially altered. An Immigration official will use the document to confirm a person’s nationality, identity and entitlement to leave to enter.

4. What is the role of ICAO? More than 200 countries issue passports
Each country issues many different docs.
ICAO promotes a standard layout
Recommended safeguard standards
Digital images are more secure
The MRZ offers global machine-readability
Standards for biometrics are vital

5. That is why adherence to ICAO specifications is so vital.
Training
Because of the numbers of different travel documents that are in circulation, it is usual for Immigration officials to be trained to identify generic rather than specific security features.
It would be impossible to remember the specifics of every travel document.
That is why adherence to ICAO specifications is so vital.

6. How is the document checked?
Verification of a travel document takes place on four levels.
Level 1 – on entry
Level 2 – back office
Level 3 – forensic lab
Level 4 - manufacturer

7. Why is Level 1 so important?
This is the start of the chain. If suspicions are not raised here, level 2 – 4 checks cannot be conducted.
Often it is behaviour that gives rise to suspicion, not the document.
At this point impostors as well as document fraud are identified.

8. Equipment used at Level 1
MRZ reader
Ultra-violet light
Transmitted light
Limited magnification
Full page reader

9. Detection at Level 1
At this level it is the passenger's bona fides that are tested
Compliance of MRZ is validated
Check of passenger against watch lists
Check of document number against watch lists
Are they the rightful holder?
Security features checked

10. Document security features verifiable at Level 1
Substrate features
UV dull paper
Complex multi-tonal watermark
Random fibres (visible and/or UV)
Planchettes
Embedded thread

11. Document security features verifiable at Level 1
Security printing
Intaglio with latent image
Anti-copy features
Rainbow
Guilloche
Micro-text

12. Document security features verifiable at Level 1
Laminate features
UV inks
Visible safeguards
Special inks (thermochromic, phosphorescent) 3M

13. Document security features verifiable at Level 1
Optically Variable Devices
Optically Variable Inks
ImageperfTM
CLITM, TLITM, etc.

14. Document security features verifiable at Level 1
Tactile features
Embossings
Laser etchings
Raised text

15. BUT!
It must be borne in mind that an Immigration official only has a very short time and little in the way of equipment to conduct all of these checks.

16. Without standardisation

17. How is standardisation achieved?
Document 9303

18. Thank you! Charlie Stevens National Document Fraud Unit
UK Immigration Service