New U.S. ‘Green Card’ using optical stripe, RFID technology
12 May, 2010
category: Government, RFID
LaserCard Corp., a provider of secure ID solutions, announced the introduction of the next-generation U.S. Permanent Resident Card – or Green Card – featuring optical security media and a Radio Frequency Identity tag for compliance with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI).
Mailing of the new card by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to legal permanent residents began May 10. Designed and manufactured by LaserCard, the Green Card is issued to lawful permanent residents as evidence of their authorization to live and work in the United States. LaserCard has been shipping quantities of the new card to Homeland Security for several months under a previously announced contract.
LaserCard has supplied the U.S. government’s optical security media-based Green Cards since 1997, issuing more than 20 million cards. In addition, the card incorporates an RFID tag to provide compliance with the WHTI program, which facilitates legitimate travel and trade at U.S. land borders.
The new Green Card is one of the first implementation of optical security media and RFID on a single card. LaserCard and its supplier partners pioneered new construction techniques to ensure a reliable credential with sophisticated, tamper-proof features. The card also features an optical security media configuration optimized to meet Homeland Security’s requirement for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization-standards for ID cards used in travel applications.
The Green Card’s new graphic design includes high resolution offset printing and other visual security features. Innovations that further enhance the optical security media include:
- High resolution security artwork: resolved at up to 25,000 dots per inch, beyond the capability of scanning, copying and printing technologies used in replication or simulation
- Large high contrast, high resolution tamper-proof cardholder image laser etched onto the optical security media