On Tuesday, October 5, the world’s first Mexican electronic passports were issued, and it was here in Los Angeles, but what is the advantage of having this document?
The main thing is that it would be virtually unforgeable, but beyond that, it is expected that carrying it, helps streamline immigration processes for travelers, and provides every Mexican with a high security identification.
Today at the Consulate of Mexico in Los Angeles, a new stage began: the first electronic passports were delivered outside the country.
“And in fact they were the first five that were delivered in the world, to five young Dreamers,” said Jaime Vazquez Bracho, General Director of Consular Services at SRE in Mexico.
And you will wonder.
“What is the advantage? We now have a higher quality document, which is practically impossible to be forged or altered. This protects the user from identity theft, facilitates entry to other countries through electronic gateways, and also avoids the need to impose higher identity requirements such as visas, ”said Vázquez Bracho.
Another of the great advantages of the new passport is that, in the case of minors, or people with disabilities, their data is linked to those of their parents or guardians, so it would also facilitate their location in emergencies. The other good news?
“The cost is the same for now, it will not change,” he added.
A 10-year passport costs $ 165, a 6-year passport costs $ 113, and a 3-year passport costs $ 83. The Chip that has the electronic passport stores all your biographical and biometric information, and only immigration authorities will be able to read it, and in the case of other institutions that require high-security identification, such as a bank, for example, they will be able to use an application.
“It’s called Read ID, anyone can get it and scan the passport information and the color photo and basic data come out,” said Vázquez Bracho.
Dalia Contreras was one of the first five people to receive her passport, and being a young woman covered by the DACA program, the document, she says, will be very useful to her.
“To be able to identify myself here, for example, to receive my California ID, I need another identification to renew my DACA, which is every two years, I have to have my valid passport. I really feel very lucky to receive one of the first, ”said Contreras.
Although the new passports have already begun to be issued in Los Angeles, the transition will be staggered, not all of them will be electronic immediately, but by November if you expect 100% of the passports issued, they will already be.
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