Passport security standards

I refer to the letter entitled Poor Quality Passport Photos (October 5).

I would like to assure the correspondent that the Maltese passport is of a high quality standard both as to the production as well as to the security features that are embedded in it.

The image appearing on the current Maltese passport is a "digitally printed image" and is scanned from the colour photograph which is submitted by the applicant. The scanning process is of high quality and I can assure the correspondent that in no way could it be described as having "the quality of a photocopy". The technology used for scanning and printing is completely different.

The passport issuance system of the Department of Civil Registration is a fully computerised system where the data page and the passport holder's photo are printed simultaneously and to a specific security standard, thus minimising drastically the risk of fraud or tampering thereof. Many countries, including EU member states, use such a system which offers a high level of security features and safeguards.

Regarding the plastic lamination, this is placed at the back of the data page to strengthen it and facilitate swiping it through an OCR reader for control purposes. We have been issuing passports in this format since the year 2000 and such adverse remarks have been few and far between. As stated before, the data page printing is secure enough and there is no need for the passport holder's details and photo image to be also covered by a laminated sheet for security reasons.

This information should have been readily available to any immigration official, since the Maltese passport is also included in the relevant security publication, which should be available worldwide to border control officers. Passport specimens are also sent to any country that requests them. So there is ample facility for any officer to check on the authenticity or otherwise of a Maltese passport.

Lastly, I kindly invite Mr and Mrs Calleja, if they so wish, to call at the Department of Civil Registration during office hours in order to check about their passport photo quality in order to put their minds at rest and remove any doubt which they may have regarding their passport photo quality.