NEWS

Foolproof passports on the way

Travelers will be able to obtain their passports from police stations as of December 28 in a new government system aimed at making the travel document one of the most secure in the world, sources told Kathimerini yesterday. Citizens interested in obtaining a passport can head to one of 98 points across the country. After an initial assessment, the documentation will then be forwarded to a central processing office in Kaisariani, Athens. It is estimated that the whole procedure will take five days. The new passport will make use of the most up-to-date technologies and could result in the United States accepting Greek visitors without a visa. It will include a digitalized image of the holder and will also have a second photo that will only be visible through a scanning device. Passports issued before August 2006 will not include a microchip with biometric data, authorities say. Travelers will also get a dose of their own culture as the passport will include pages sporting images from Greek culture.

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