Excellence Prize for applying technology in Qatar for the Biometric Visa Kiosks Exported from Turkey

22.02.2012

The “Biometric Visa Kiosks” project developed by the leading brand on the self-service device market, Kiosk Innova, for the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Qatar has been awarded the “Excellence Prize for Applying technology” at QITCOM 2012.

Innova continues to realize new projects globally. Innova’s leading brand on the self-service device market, Kiosk Innova, adds another one to the awards won by the international entities for which it provides solutions with its innovative kiosk projects.

At QITCOM 2012 conference on Qatar’s information and communication technologies held on March 5-7 by the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR), the bests of the sector were awarded in 5 categories. At the QITCOM 2012 Awards, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Qatar was granted the “Excellence Prize for Applying technology” with the “Biometric Visa Kiosks” project developed by Kiosk Innova. Design, hardware and manufacturing being all in the kiosk production plant in Turkey, the kiosks help performing the visa and customs proceedings in a faster and more secure way through biometric checks.

Fingerprint instead of password, eye screening instead of identity card

Specially developed by Kiosk Innova so that Qatar, a developing business center in the Middle East, serves for its own citizens, these kiosks bring pace and security to visa and customs proceedings. Over 100 biometric kiosks installed in the Qatar Airport and government buildings feature a three-stage security system for facial recognition and identification. The biometric screening equipment on the kiosk runs fingerprint screening and then iris screening. Face screening performed finally completes authentication.

People who login for application through the kiosks that are available 24/7 for all state related applications such as new passport issuance, visa, driving license and license procedures are screened biometrically after entering their identification data into the system and complete their applications by signing them on the digital signature panel. One of the two touch-screen LCD monitors on the kiosk is used to allow the applicant to check his/her operations, while the other one enables officials to monitor and finalize operations. Once registered, the user can then file any application at any time using the same information. The kiosks are also used for transition purposes at customs; a registered user can leave or enter Qatar without showing his/her passport.

Successful e-government implementations globally

Having realized various e-government implementations in the Middle East apart from Qatar, Innova Kiosk and Automation Solutions Director Ahmet Kebabcioglu says, “We’re truly honored that our self-service e-government implementations that have been a success story globally are crowned with such awards. We hope that e-goverment implementations that would make citizens’ lives easier are also put into service in other countries as well in the future, and we are continuously carrying out our R&D works in alignment with this vision."