Tanzania is Using Facial Recognition to Expedite Cross-border Mobility

The Tanzania Immigration Services Department (TISD) (tanzania.iom.int) has started using new Facial Matching Systems (FMS) from Vision Box to improve border control procedures from the end of last year.

The purpose of the integration of Vision-Box advanced technology was to enhance border security in Tanzania. How? By strengthening the capacity of immigration authorities at both land and air entry points in the country to detect irregular migration, while adhering to data protection best standards.

The new desktop automated immigration control solutions integrate advanced document authentication and biometric recognition features. They are capable of identifying fraudulent travel documents such as passports, visas and identity cards, as well as detect identity fraud by travelers trying to enter or stay in the country irregularly. The solution matches the information contained in the travel document against the live face image capture of the traveler to guarantee a reliable traveler identification.

The Vision-Box-developed solutions (vision-box.com) are at use at two of the busiest Tanzania airports, the Kilimanjaro International Airport, in northern Tanzania serving the cities of Arusha and Moshi, and Julius Nyerere International Airport in the largest city Dar es Salaam.

Commissioner Samuel Magweiga received the equipment on behalf of the Commissioner General of Immigration and advanced “we need more of its kind for all our land, air and maritime entry points to combat irregular Migration which is becoming rampant along our borders”.

Miguel Leitmann, CEO of Vision-Box stated “Together with other African countries like Rwanda and Angola, Tanzania is now in a reinforced position by adopting Vision-Box automated biometric technology at border controls. It’s a great pleasure to be able to contribute with state-of-the-art technology with a real impact in creating efficiencies, security and an innovative edge for Tanzania and to address the specific challenges of government authorities of the region.”

Source: Vision Box