Passport swipe at immigration - What info do they see?

RaiderHammer

I have often wondered what information immigration officals see when they scan your passport in UK, Spain, USA, Hong Kong and most airports around the world I guess.

What do they see? Photo of you, is the passport genuine, passport lost / stolen, wanted person, list of where you have been and dates?

Just interested to know. Often wondered what they see when I have come through immigration and the passport is swiped.

johnnyroper

RaiderHammer wrote: »

I have often wondered what information immigration officals see when they scan your passport in UK, Spain, USA, Hong Kong and most airports around the world I guess.

What do they see? Photo of you, is the passport genuine, passport lost / stolen, wanted person, list of where you have been and dates?

Just interested to know. Often wondered what they see when I have come through immigration and the passport is swiped.

depends on passport the ones without chip it will display everything the passport office hold on you like name,DOB,address,criminal convictions etc

with the new ones with chip it is same as above but they are also capable of having iris recognition,or even DNA stored on them.Not sure if the passport office do add anything extra on them as yet though?

[Deleted User]

They have a photo of you on a screen as I have gone though and looked back and I saw myself. I suspect there is more but you generally dont see that

Bob_the_Saver

Probably less than a supermarket loyalty card would store.

smudge56

Only what's on the photo page of your passport.
They don't have DNA stored

dawyldthing

i'm intregued if they say where you have been on holiday as im sure its possible. i know the last number on your passport corner is to do with how many passports you have, but not too sure what they do see

s_b

they have everything
including any details if you ever been pulled by the fuzz like blue eyes ,tatoos etc
they even knew i take andrex with me:eek:
suppose the fact it was hanging out the back of my pants as i passed through was a clue though:D

waynehayes

In the wake of the 2004 tsunami, we rerouted our trip and was asked by immigration at Koh Samui airport why we missed a leg of our trip. I think it was more to do with onward travel from Thailand, but I think they can see all bookings attached to a passport number.

pleasedelete

In the USA it then brings up more details. Past driving issues on hire cars etc. Always someone pulled out that queue by a man with a big gun. I guess they gave the passport as Id. Picked up tickets they possibly didn't know about etc.

Also brings up when and where you last entered the country etc. We got asked why we were back for Christmas again in the USA.

dzug1

From the passport itself they can't see anything that you can't see/read for yourself. In fact you can see more - it can't read passport stamps, etc.

If it's linked into one of their own databases there's no telling what's in that database - immediately accessible probably not a vast amount, but a flag that yours is a passport of interest, for example, could trigger off questions and a trip to secondary.

RaiderHammer

waynehayes wrote: »

In the wake of the 2004 tsunami, we rerouted our trip and was asked by immigration at Koh Samui airport why we missed a leg of our trip. I think it was more to do with onward travel from Thailand, but I think they can see all bookings attached to a passport number.

I guess this is added when you check in for flights then.