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Passports Add Anti-forgery Features NewsMax.com WiresWASHINGTON – The United States will start issuing new passports with improved security features starting next week to prevent forgery, the State Department announced Tuesday. Starting Monday, the new passports will be processed only in Portsmouth, N.H., because U.S. embassies do not have the technology to issue them, State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said at a news briefing. Those who already have valid passports may continue to use them but may obtain new passports for a fee if they wish. U.S. embassies and consulates abroad will continue to issue passports that are needed for urgent travel, but such passports will be limited in validity and cannot be extended. "Bearers of these urgent travel documents will be required to exchange them, at no cost, turning in this limited validity passport for a full validity, digitized passport upon completion of the urgent travel - for instance, returning to the United States," Reeker said. He said that these state-of-the-art passports were "one of the most secure travel documents produced anywhere in the world" and "getting them into circulation will help minimize the misuse of American passports by criminals, terrorists and others." Admitting that the new procedure will increase processing time at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, Reeker said that after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, "the security of travel documents has become even more important." Reeker, who showed a copy of the new passport to reporters, said that beside a digitized image embedded in the paper the passport had other security features but did not elaborate. He urged U.S. citizens overseas who know they will need to replace their passport to apply early for renewal of expiring passports. After the Sept. 11 terror attacks the U.S. government has faced tremendous pressure to plug the loopholes that allowed terrorists to enter the United States. Besides issuing new passports, the government has also introduced measures intended to tighten its immigration and visa policies. Several of the 19 men who slammed planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon had entered the United States legally on visas issued by the U.S. embassies. However, none had used American passports. Copyright 2002 by United Press International. All rights reserved.
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