BILLERICA, Mass. & BOCHUM, Germany -- Viisage, a leading provider of advanced technology identity solutions, announced today that in partnership with GET Group through its company in Oman "Almadina Development & Supply", a large systems integrator in the Middle East, the Company has won a contract with the Sultanate of Oman to help secure Oman's borders using the Viisage iA-thenticate document authentication solution. After rigorous evaluation of competitive alternatives, Oman selected Viisage based on the strength of the technology and the Company's track record with existing customers. The Viisage document authentication solution will be deployed at all major border control points, including airports, seaports and land borders, to verify the identity documents of travelers entering and exiting the country.
Oman's selection of Viisage follows shortly after the Bahrain Ministry of Interior and Immigration selected the Viisage iA-thenticate solution for individuals entering the country at Bahrain airport. This system is a natural fit for countries seeking advanced technology solutions for automated authentication of either non biometric enabled passports, or for currently deployed e-passports which contain a smartchip with biometric data using the secure basic access control protocol. Automated document authentication provides the broadest form of document validation for countries today. As countries move to develop their electronic passport programs, the Viisage iA-thenticate solution can support both radio frequency ID (RFID) read of the chip on an e-passport, as well as authentication of non e-passports. Such border management initiatives as the US VISIT, a US Department of Homeland Security program designed to enhance national security and promote legitimate travel, mandate the eventual adoption of biometrically enabled e-passports. The need to authenticate both forms of passports through the use of this automated technology will provide the necessary security for borders around the world.
"Like many countries in the Middle East and around the world, the Sultanate of Oman recognizes the need to provide secure international travel while also ensuring the safety of their citizens and addressing the global problem of identity theft and fraud," said Bernard Bailey, president and CEO of Viisage. "Our document authentication technology provides significant benefit in any basic access control solution and we believe more countries like Oman will adopt this technology."
The Viisage iA-thenticate system scans and automatically authenticates identity documents such as passports and visas, using multiple light sources that reveal the expected security features in authentic identity documents. The technology provides authorities with critical information to validate that a person is who he or she claims to be. The automation of this process frees authorities from complex training on detecting fraudulent documents and provides advanced security for border management applications without slowing down the flow of travel. This unique solution utilizes the largest database of its kind for secure document templates from around the world making it a robust tool in the fight against identity fraud. This solution is currently deployed in multiple border applications globally.
