Beijing to use fingerprint IDs  

北京6月1日起办理身份证需采集指纹信息

从6月1日开始，北京将在全市户籍派出所启动居民身份证登记指纹信息工作，公民申请领取、换领、补领居民身份证需采集指纹信息。这是记者26日从“北京市居民身份证登记指纹信息工作宣传周”启动仪式上获悉。

(ECNS) -- All Beijing residents will be required to have their fingerprint information registered when applying, changing or replacing an ID card starting June 1, according to information released at the launch of Fingerprint ID Registration Awareness Week for Beijing Residents on Sunday.

The new move can effectively protect personal information as fingerprint data on ID cards are digitized and cannot be reverted to fingerprint images, according to a policeman at the population management team under the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Strict security measures are used in collecting, transmitting and storing residents' personal information. In addition, measures will also be taken to crack down on illegally revealing private information, the policeman said.

No extra fees will be charged, and old ID cards without fingerprints information registered are still effective until they expire.

All preparations for enforcing fingerprint ID cards have been completed, including upgrading the population information management system, installing and debugging equipment and training of personnel.

Starting this year, Yanshan area and Yizhuang economic and technological development area became the first two pilot districts to use the cards.

Currently, of the more than 100 countries and regions in the world that use an identity card system, 56 have registered fingerprint information into ID cards in order to curb illegal use and counterfeit of the cards.