03 December 2009
The future is here and it’s called SmartGate. The new technology launched on December 3, and makes travelling into New Zealand a lot easier for New Zealand and Australian ePassport holders.
The new system uses biometric face recognition technology to provide an alternative, secure, efficient way to clear passport control.
The SmartGate technology is part of the overall goal of making trans-Tasman travel easier, thereby driving tourism demand and, by extension, New Zealand’s economy.
Prime Minister John Key, who is also Minister for Tourism, was the first person to have his face and passport scanned as part of the system’s launch.
