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The SNEDAI (Société nationale d’édition de documents administratifs et d’identification du Sénégal) has awarded Zetes with a contract to produce the Senegalese biometric visa. This project will see Zetes deliver 66 fixed enrolment stations to embassies, consulates and Senegalese border posts. It also makes Zetes responsible for data consolidation and AFIS deduplication (Automated Fingerprint Identification System) based on biographic and biometric data. The specially developed BOT (Build, Operate & Transfer) contract will be implemented over a 5-year period, producing an estimated 300,000 visas each year.
Zetes’ contract has been awarded in accordance with the principle of visa reciprocity, announced by the Senegalese authorities in early January 2013. The documents produced by Zetes meet the quality standards required for Schengen visas.
State of the art integrated enrolment stations
The stations set up to register visa applications are being designed and produced by Zetes.
Their main features include:
- The integration of biographic, photographic, biometric (fingerprint) registration and the digital signature in a single station that is easy to deploy;
- A robust design combined with a high degree of flexibility;
- Optimised ergonomics for both citizens and operators in charge of the registration;
- Easy maintenance;
- Features adapted to the production of documents in accordance with ICAO standards (International Organization of Civil Aviation) 9303.
Once data concerning the applicants has been registered, it is consolidated into a single database and de-duplicated through the AFIS system (Automated Fingerprint Identification System). The operator can then print out the self-adhesive biometric visa which is then adhered to the passport.
On-line ordering and payment
In addition, Zetes will also set up an on-line payment solution through its subsidiary FasTrace. This will allow applicants to order and pay for visas directly from the SNEDAI website.
Alain Wirtz, Zetes CEO comments, “We are delighted to have a further opportunity to work with the SNEDAI on this project. Once again this allows us to highlight the complementary nature of Zetes’ business interests. Firstly, our production site for industrial identification machines, located in Belgium, will create and produce enrolment stations and secondly, our FasTrace division is providing the online registration solution. Working in this way enables us to provide real added value to customers by ensuring full control over their solution and the guarantee of high quality.“
Senegal joins Zetes Group’s long list of customer references on the African continent, reaffirming the company’s market leading reputation for People ID solutions.
Offering the Senegalese authorities a BOT-type contract offers additional benefits because it allows them to limit the amount of upfront capital investment required for the project. For Zetes, this form of contract is also beneficial because it contributes to the Group’s financial stability and ensures it has improved visibility and control of