In this Q&A, Dominic Forrest, Chief Technology Officer at iProov, shares insights on how modern border control and biometric security systems are evolving to balance national security with seamless travel.
What is the purpose of border control and security systems? How do advancements and changes in these systems evolve based on travel trends, security threats, and the like?
Forrest: At their core, border control and security systems exist to perform two key roles: keeping countries safe and keeping legitimate travel moving.
On the one hand, they prevent unauthorized entry and stop serious threats such as terrorism, smuggling, or human trafficking. On the other, they facilitate the trade and tourism that economies rely on, while providing travellers with a seamless and enjoyable experience. With global travel numbers rising, traditional long, manual queues are no longer a viable solution for managing this delicate balance.
To address this challenge, borders are increasingly moving toward automation, digital processes, and biometrics. This technological shift is not only more efficient but also popular with the public. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 75% of global travellers now prefer using biometrics over traditional passports and boarding passes, and the majority who have tried them report a positive experience.
A prime example is the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Seamless Border Entry initiative. It allows trusted travellers enrolled in the Global Entry program to skip long lines. As a traveller approaches the border officer, a device using iProov technology captures their facial image, which is sent to CBP to be matched with their passport photo. By the time they reach the desk, the officer already has the necessary information. The entire process takes just seconds and can process up to 14 passengers per lane per minute.
CBP also operates a similar initiative, Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP), for U.S. citizens arriving on selected international flights. Both programs are operational at various locations across the U.S. and are entirely opt-in, with passengers able to choose a manual check if preferred.
This efficiency allows low-risk passengers to move through quickly, enabling officers to spend more time on those who need additional attention. Ultimately, modern border controls use technology to remove friction for the vast majority of travellers while simultaneously enhancing security. For legitimate travellers, this means less time spent in queues and more time enjoying their trip—precisely the balance a modern border system should achieve.
How would you define a frictionless experience for a traveller in terms of border control? Are there instances or red flags that travellers should be on the lookout for regarding the security of their personal data?
Forrest: A frictionless border experience combines speed, convenience, and a high level of trust in the security of personal data.
For today’s traveller, this primarily means clearing immigration swiftly and beginning their journey without unnecessary delays. A smooth, fast arrival is crucial, as it sets a positive tone for the entire trip. This is particularly true for travellers such as Filipinos, for whom relaxation remains the top reason to travel; a seamless arrival supports a stress-free experience from the very start.
This expectation for speed is widespread, as IATA research shows that over 70% of passengers expect their entire airport journey, from check-in to the gate, to take under 45 minutes.
The key to achieving this speed is processing traveller information before arrival at the airport. The same IATA research indicates that 80% of travellers are willing to share passport and visa details in advance to make this possible.
The most effective way to facilitate this is through remote onboarding. While not yet standard practice, this approach would allow travellers to complete the entire identity verification process from home using their smartphone or mobile device.
This highly secure process uses biometric technology, such as a brief, passive facial scan, to confirm the person is real and genuinely present.
The phone can then read the chip in a modern ePassport to cryptographically verify the document’s authenticity. By completing identity checks in advance, the border crossing becomes a simple confirmation that the pre-vetted traveller is physically present, creating a truly frictionless experience.
For any pre-travel data sharing to succeed, protecting personal data is critical. Travellers should remain mindful of where and how their information is collected. Key red flags include:
Unsecured platforms: Be cautious of non-official websites or apps requesting travel details.
Unverified third parties: Question platforms not directly affiliated with airlines or official government border agencies.
Excessive data requests: Legitimate border processes collect only data relevant to identity and travel. Requests for unrelated financial information or other sensitive details should raise immediate concern.
How do biometric border systems separate genuine travellers from bad actors in real time?
Forrest: At a biometric border, the primary objective is to ensure legitimate travellers move through quickly while those who are not are stopped. Systems such as CBP’s Seamless Border Entry (SBE) and Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP) initiatives achieve this through highly efficient facial capture technology. As a traveller approaches, a camera captures their facial image, which is instantly and securely compared against a trusted government database of passport and visa photos to verify identity.
This real-time matching process separates individuals as follows:
If the captured face successfully matches an image on record, the traveller is verified as genuine and proceeds quickly.
If no confident match is found, an officer is immediately alerted to intervene and conduct a manual inspection.
This ensures that legitimate travellers pass through with minimal friction, while security resources focus on those requiring closer scrutiny.
The next evolutionary step in enhancing security involves enabling the remote onboarding process described earlier. Before travel, a traveller would use their smartphone to securely verify their identity against their ePassport, creating a trusted biometric template. At the border, a brief, passive facial scan then performs an identity check. This process does not simply confirm resemblance to a photo; it verifies that the traveller is the same live individual who completed the secure onboarding.
This two-step approach provides the highest level of assurance, protecting against sophisticated fraud such as identity theft or deepfakes, while creating an even more secure and seamless journey.
What is the vision for seamless travel, and what does a country’s customs and border protection agency need to provide it?
Forrest: The vision for modern travel is to deliver a border experience that achieves two critical goals simultaneously: enhancing national security and providing a world-class passenger experience. Instead of being a point of friction, the border becomes an invisible, automated checkpoint that welcomes legitimate travellers efficiently while being more effective than ever at identifying risks.
To achieve this, a country’s border protection agency must adopt a new model with security at its core. First, it requires a foundation of enhanced security through technology. Advanced biometrics are significantly more accurate than human inspection, offering a more reliable way to verify identity and stop impostors.
This is paired with a smarter process that shifts identity verification earlier in the journey. By enabling travellers to complete checks remotely before arrival, agencies gain more time to vet individuals against security watchlists and identify high-risk actors well before they reach the physical border.
This digital ecosystem must also be supported by uncompromising data security, protecting traveller information and safeguarding the system against cyber threats.
The result is a stronger, more intelligent border where security becomes proactive rather than reactive. Officers are empowered with high-quality data to focus on genuine threats rather than crowd management. While national security is significantly strengthened, the experience for the vast majority of travellers becomes faster and less stressful. This balance of heightened security and effortless travel defines the border of the future.
Are there additional insights, offerings, or updates from iProov you would like to share with readers?
Forrest: At iProov, we believe biometric technology is key to addressing the global travel industry’s core challenge: managing rising passenger volumes while simultaneously enhancing security and improving the traveller experience.
The goal is to create travel that is both safer and more efficient, a concept already in practice at major hubs such as Orlando International Airport. In partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a traveller’s face becomes a secure digital key, enabling real-time identity authentication without the need to stop or present documents.
The true power of this technology emerges when it extends beyond the border to support a seamless, end-to-end journey. This holistic approach connects every stage of travel, allowing the same secure biometric to be used for baggage check-in, security screening, airline lounge access, and boarding.
Each checkpoint becomes a moment of effortless confirmation, eliminating repeated handling of physical documents.
This integrated system delivers significant benefits to all stakeholders. Security officers can evolve from manual processors into risk-assessment specialists, focusing on genuine threats. Travellers experience reduced stress, which has been shown to positively impact airport retail and hospitality.
Crucially, this model is built on trust, grounded in passenger consent through opt-in systems and the use of highly accurate, unbiased technology.
The Philippines’ recent and successful rollout of eGates represents an important step toward modernization.
Building on this strong foundation, a fully biometric journey is the natural next evolution. It would complement existing eGates by connecting the entire passenger experience, further enhancing national security and reinforcing the country’s reputation as a forward-thinking leader in travel innovation.
