Georgia just took home the ‘Best New Document Series’ award, presented at HSP EMEA in Rabat, and for good reason. The Georgia Document Family is a harmonised suite of ePassports and eID cards that successfully merges futuristic security with a deep reverence for the nation’s history.

In a move to redefine national security, President Gustavo Petro has unveiled the design of Colombia’s new passport. Set to enter circulation on 1 April 2026, the document is being hailed as one of the four most secure travel documents in the world.

Beginning in December 2025, the Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) introduced redesigned driver’s licences and ID cards to reduce fraud and identity theft.

British passports will undergo a redesign beginning in December 2025, representing a significant update since Brexit.

On 5 June 2025, Congo officially launched its new biometric passport. Developed in partnership with DERMALOG and led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this passport introduces a modern and secure travel document complying with the latest ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) standards.

Reconnaissance International has unveiled DataVault™, the industry’s first dedicated, searchable online database for banknotes and coins – designed specifically for currency professionals who need fast, reliable, and up-to-date information.

The introduction of portrait-format identity cards signifies a shift in how governments approach ID design. With Iceland’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) compliant vertical ID launched in 2024 and Cameroon’s in 2025 (see page 4), the transition from landscape to portrait layouts offers a new canvas for optical security.

In a collaborative development, Banknote Corporation of India (BCA) joined 4Plate, Covestro, Luminescence, and IQ Structures to introduce the Milano card (collectible), a bold celebration of creativity and innovation.

At the recent High Security Printing™ (HSP) EMEA conference in Basel (3-5 February), Georgios Tziovaras, Global Business Development Manager at Covestro Specialty Films, highlighted the crucial role of holography and advanced optical technologies in modern identity documents.

The National Agency for Identity Data (RvIG) has started circulating the new model of Dutch travel documents, including passports and identity cards, to combat fraud, abuse, and forgery.