The systems will be supplied via main contractor Oberthur Technologies in Paris, France. The systems will be installed at the State Center of Personification in Tashkent and are expected to be delivered in 2011.
BookMaster One systems perform the entire personalisation of the passport in one pass through the machine including verification of all processing done. Thus, the systems turn blank books, inserted in the machine, into fully personalized passports ready for issuing.
Uzbekistan is creating biometric passport system. Oberthur Technologies S.A. won a tender within the project “Creating biometric passport system in Uzbekistan”. The French company signed a contract with the cost of US$75.1 million euros with the State Personalization System under the Cabinet of Ministers.
The Government of Uzbekistan was planning to launch the first stage of biometric passports introduction from 1 January 2010. But, in January 2010, the Uzbek President signed the decree to shift introduction date for a year.
In the first stage, employees of ministries and state bodies of Uzbekistan and individuals, traveling abroad, as well as citizens, who are receiving new passports, will get biometric passports.
All citizens of Uzbekistan will receive new passports in the second stage (2012-2016).
Biometric passports are introduced in Uzbekistan in order to ensure security of international civic aviation, improve protection of passports from falsification, improve mechanism on timely and clear identification of person identity, passing border, improving quality and efficiency of international air transportation.