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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
Time: 12:55 am
Time: 12:55 am
Results for passports
3 results foundAuthor: U.S. Government Accountability Office Title: Border Security: Better Usage of Electronic Passport Security Features Could Improve Fraud Detention Summary: In 2005, the Department of State (State) began issuing electronic passports (e-passports) with embedded computer chips that store information identical to that printed in the passport. By agreement with State, the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) produces blank e-passport books. Two foreign companies are used by GPO to produce e-passport covers, including the computer chips embedded in them. At U.S. ports of entry, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) inspects passports. GAO was asked to examine potential risks to national security posed by using foreign suppliers for U.S. e-passport computer chips. This report specifically examines the following two risks: (1) Can the computer chips used in U.S. e-passports be altered or forged to fraudulently enter the United States? (2) What risk could malicious code on the U.S. e-passport computer chip pose to national security? To conduct this work, GAO reviewed documents and interviewed officials at State, GPO, and DHS relating to the U.S. e-passport design and manufacturing and e-passport inspection systems and procedures. GAO recommends that DHS implement the systems needed to fully verify e-passport digital signatures at U.S. ports of entry, and in coordination with State, implement an approach to obtain the necessary data to validate the digital signatures on U.S. and other nations’ e-passports. DHS agreed with the recommendations. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2010. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2010 at: http://www.gpo.gov/pdfs/congressional/GAO_Rpt_BorderSecurity.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.gpo.gov/pdfs/congressional/GAO_Rpt_BorderSecurity.pdf Shelf Number: 117702 Keywords: Border SecurityFraudPassports |
Author: Inserra, David Title: The Visa Waiver Program: Enhancing Security, Promoting Prosperity Summary: The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is a valuable tool supporting U.S. tourism and trade, public diplomacy, and national security. The VWP allows residents of member countries to visit the U.S. without a visa for up to 90 days in exchange for security-cooperation and information-sharing arrangements and reciprocal travel privileges for U.S. residents. The VWP is extended only to U.S. allies and friends that meet certain security and immigration requirements. News of European passport holders joining the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), however, have created concerns about radicalized Western fighters abusing the VWP to engage in terrorism here in the U.S. While radicalized Britons or Germans are certainly of great concern to all nations threatened by Islamist terrorism, it is not a good reason to end the VWP. The VWP promotes security and the ISIS threat only emphasizes the importance of the VWP's intelligence-sharing requirements and adding appropriate nations to the program. Details: Washington, DC: Heritage Foundation, 2014. 3p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Brief No. 4274: Accessed November 13, 2014 at: http://thf_media.s3.amazonaws.com/2014/pdf/IB4273.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://thf_media.s3.amazonaws.com/2014/pdf/IB4273.pdf Shelf Number: 134085 Keywords: National SecurityPassportsVisas |
Author: Transparency International Title: European Getaway: Inside the Murky World of Golden Visas Summary: Burgundy passports are turning gold, as EU governments sell residency and citizenship to the ultra-rich. By their nature, these schemes pose inherent risks for corruption, as people who steal money from their home countries need other jurisdictions to escape to when the going gets tough. Golden visa schemes offer fast-track citizenship and/or residency to foreign nationals in exchange for lots of cash. European golden visas are particularly appealing, as they give their owners free reign to move throughout the EU, unconstrained by interference or checks. There are numerous examples of high-risk business people and oligarchs enjoying all the benefits that golden visas have to offer. Finding safe haven through these schemes is simpler than you might think if you have a lot of money to spare. Despite the risks posed by golden visa schemes, several of the governments selling residency and citizenship do not seem to question where applicants' money comes from. This perhaps contributes to the EU: Welcoming over 6,000 new citizens and close to 100,000 new residents through golden visas schemes in the last decade. Attracting around €25 billion in foreign direct investment through golden visas over the last ten years. While some nations are profiting from the sales of golden visas, all EU citizens take the sizeable hit due to the ethical implications and risks embedded in the current practice. Nonetheless, secrecy continues to obscure even basic information about these schemes and EU citizens do not have the information necessary to decide whether selling residency or citizenship is a risk worth taking. We have worked with Transparency International to change this, investigating publicly available sources and reaching out to national governments for additional information. In our latest report, we are able to shine some light on the shady situation, revealing a telling though still incomplete picture of the golden visa scheme. RECOMMENDATIONS: With Transparency International, we call upon EU institutions to: Set EU-wide standards for golden visa schemes, including enhanced due diligence and transparency; Identify and regularly assess the risks posed by schemes for the EU as a whole and mitigate accordingly; Seek to broaden anti-money laundering rules so they apply to all players in the golden visa industry; Establish mechanisms for collecting and coordinating information on applications, investment and rejections; Start legal proceedings against member states whose schemes could undermine the collective security of EU nations. Details: Berlin: Transparency International and Global Witness, 2018. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 12, 2018 at: https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/corruption-and-money-laundering/european-getaway/ Year: 2018 Country: International URL: https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/corruption-and-money-laundering/european-getaway/ Shelf Number: 152914 Keywords: Financial CrimesIllegal TradeMoney LaunderingPassportsSecurity |