By the end of October 2006, some thirty countries will issue e-passports, or have the capability to do so. The American and European compliance deadlines for biometric passports - October 2006 and August 2006 respectively - mark the culmination of years of development work, which started with the publication of the first version of ICAO document 9303 in 1980. For the e-passport to deliver improved security, the integrity of the issuance process must be flawless. Hugh Gilenson takes a close look at the enrolment process.