U.S. e-Passport

• Since the 1920s, GPO has been the sole provider of the U.S. Passport. When the League of Nations established international standards for booklet-style Passports, GPO, with its precision printing and binding expertise, was the logical choice.
  
  Since then, GPO has used proven, contemporary technology to continuously improve the world's most trusted travel document.
• A cut-out window in the Passport cover was introduced in the 1930s, making serial numbers easier to read at a glance.
• In 1961, the fabric cover of the Passport was replaced with a more durable plastic one. Automated perforating machines now punched serial numbers into the cover and booklet pages.
• The 1980s saw machine readable code added to the page where a traveler's personal information is displayed.
• By the end of the decade, security features-including a hologram-were embedded in Passport paper and coatings.
• Today's e-Passport connects embedded electronics with security printing and binding. The result: the most fraud-resistant Passport ever. The e-Passport was designed by certified GPO security designers.
• e-Passports are manufactured at secure GPO facilities. The integrated circuits are locked prior to delivery to the State Department. There, printed and electronic personalized information is added to the booklet.
• GPO has produced more than 30,000,000 e-Passports to date. [e-PPT-9.pdf] The secure design, secure technology, and secure manufacturing process established a winning formula, adapted by GPO to the requirements of Federal secure cards.