IT company Genis, handed over an information system for issuing biometric passports and concluded the first phase of upgrades to personal identity records. With upgraded travel document records, the Ministry of the Internal Affairs has the capability to place biometric data on identity cards and carry out procedures for issuing and management of new travel documentation more rapidly and more cost effectively.

By endorsing biometric passports, Slovenia will be one of the first countries in the world to comply with the highest security standards and European directives for travel documents. Upgrade to the existing information system was a pre-requisite as the existing system did not cover biometric data (initial phase requirements include the applicant’s photograph and subsequently the addition of two fingerprints) with details transferred onto chips which are embedded into the passport and also stored in the Register of Issued Biometric Passports.
 
These enhancements follow other changes to state registers and records that have already been completed and were developed by Genis. ”Travel document records and support for biometric passports is the first explicit example of SOA –Service Oriented Architecture used in Slovenia,” said Mr Stane Stefančič, Director of Genis d.o.o. Genis used the same information architecture to enhance the Register of Civil Status and Register of the Permanent Population.

Automated processes, supported by 25 Web services, ensure efficient management and issuing of biometric passports. They connect the Central Population Register with records in the Register of Civil Status, Register of the Permanent Population, police records, Interpol, information system of Official Gazette, Post of Slovenia and the Tax Office.

Part of the project to improve travel document records, was to completely replace the information system for applications and issuing passports to citizens of Republic of Slovenia, official service passports, diplomatic passports, licenses to legal representatives, records of cancelled passports and bans and foreign passports.

In addition to improved records for travel documents, Genis plans to upgrade other records in area of identity cards, border permits, agricultural inputs, foreign documents, weapons, explosives and others.