South Africa expands biometric ETA travel authorization system
In South Africa, the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, officially launched last month at OR Tambo International Airport, has begun to expand beyond the initial pilot project. As Daily Maverick notes, a fee of 500 rand was introduced after the launch, and travelers who do not require a visa can now also apply.
Screening before crossing the border
When applying, a person scans their passport, uploads a photograph and undergoes biometric matching. The system checks 40 parameters to confirm the authenticity of the passport and carries out automated risk analysis. At the checkpoint, facial verification is additionally used to match the traveler with the person who was granted travel authorization.
The author of the article notes that immigration control is increasingly taking place before the physical crossing of a border: during visa processing, the transfer of passenger data by airlines, checks against lists and interconnected databases. Biometric chips in passports, fingerprints and facial recognition are also used for this purpose.
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Digital identification and accountability
At the same time, draft rules for a Digital Identity system were published in South Africa this year. It is proposed that citizens be able to store digital versions of documents issued by the Department of Home Affairs and verify their identity remotely using biometric verification.
In the author's view, digitalization can reduce problems of the paper-based system, including lost files, the use of forged documents and inconsistent records. At the same time, automation does not eliminate the risk of incorrect data, an unsuccessful biometric match or erroneous entries on restriction lists.
The article also recalls that, under Section 33 of South Africa's Constitution, administrative decisions must be lawful, reasonable and procedurally fair. The state, the author notes, remains responsible for such decisions even when the process is automated.
