Each bar code will store encrypted versions of the cardholder’s fingerprint template, color photograph, first and last name, gender, and Colombia national ID number in an area the size of a magnetic stripe. The Datastrip symbology holds twice the data of other 2D bar codes in one-third the footprint and cannot be altered without disabling the encoded information, ensuring that no one can successfully impersonate the legitimate cardholder.

The island’s residence and circulation control office, known as OCCRE (Oficina de Control de Circulacion y Residencia), has been equipped to produce 300 cards per day beginning this month. The office expects to issue a total of 70,500 cards, which are required to live and work on San Andrés. Implementation costs are low because the Datastrip system is inexpensive to set up, requires no programming to incorporate biometrics or photographs, and uses any card printer or standard 300 dpi laser printer.

“San Andrés officials wanted to reissue their existing resident ID cards with secure features to stop forgeries and other ID fraud by the many people who come to the island and don’t want to leave,” said Jaime Gabay, project manager with Grupo Insular, a Colombia-based joint venture that won the bid to supply all the enabling technology for the new cards. “The local government did not have the budget to store identity information on smart chips, but Datastrip’s bar code offered a less costly and equally secure alternative with the simple deployment required to fit the island’s limited technical resources.”

Decoding will be performed with two different Datastrip readers. The PCRead2D, a stationary PC-based card scanner that is roughly the size of a pocket calculator, will be used to check resident IDs at the airport and the main San Andrés dock. The DSVerify2D, a portable reader capable of decoding fingerprints, text and photographs in one swipe, will be used for access control on cruise ships, private yachts, fishing boats, and government and military planes where connection to a PC is not possible. In addition to displaying decoded photographs and text on the built-in LCD, the DSVerify2D will use its optical fingerprint scanner to instantly match the cardholder’s live fingerprint with the biometric template contained in the card’s Datastrip bar code.

“This San Andrés project once again demonstrates the value of our technology for identity documents,” said Jay Wahl, Director, Latin American Sales, for Datastrip. “The fact that we can store more data in less space than any other 2D symbology eliminates the need to increase the size of the bar code and cut into card real estate that is needed for other uses. Combined with low cost, ease of deployment and especially tamper resistance, this provides a compelling solution for use in applications ranging from passports to employee ID cards.”

The Datastrip symbology is recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for use on machine-readable travel documents, and it also ensures compliance with the U.S. Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 governing passports for countries whose citizens enjoy visa-free travel to the United States.

The Datastrip system is used by organizations around the globe, including the Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry (LISCR), the second largest shipping registry in the world with approximately 2,000 vessels and 500,000 active seafarers on its docket.