Biometrics news moves fast. Here are the 10 stories from October 23 to 29 that matter most. They cover airports, age checks, national ID and border control.
1. Brazil Makes Face Checks Mandatory for Mobile Lines
Brazil’s telecom regulator Anatel said on October 28 that mobile customers must pass a facial recognition check to register or keep a line. The check includes a liveness test and a comparison against existing biometric databases.
It covers individuals and sole entrepreneurs, and existing customers must be re-registered by December 31, 2028. Lines left unverified can be suspended and later canceled. Read more
2. Apple Adds Selfie Age Checks to iOS 27.2
Apple’s iOS 27.2 added a selfie option for confirming you are an adult. You move your head through four angles while an age-estimation model checks your face.
Apple says the analysis runs on the device and in Private Cloud Compute, and the selfie is deleted once your age is confirmed. Anyone who cannot pass can use a credit card or government ID instead. Reports say the selfie option is limited to Australia, Brazil, Singapore and the UK for now. Read more
3. Ofcom Names Four Age Checks for Under-16s
On October 29, Ofcom published a rapid assessment of age checks for the UK’s planned social media ban for under-16s. It named four methods capable of being highly effective at 16: photo ID matching, digital identity services, banking-based checks and facial age estimation.
Ofcom said no method is fully robust against circumvention by children, and photo ID is either part of the method or the likely backstop. The ban is not yet law.
4. IATA Survey: Biometrics Go Mainstream for Air Travelers
IATA’s 2026 passenger survey found that 58% of respondents experienced biometrics at an airport in the past year, up from 50% in 2025. Among those who used them, 87% were happy with the experience.
Data breaches were the top concern, cited by 59%. European travelers were the most cautious region. The survey, released on October 28, drew more than 10,000 responses from over 200 countries. Read more
5. South Africa Passes One Million Smart IDs Issued Through Banks
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs said on October 26 that more than one million people have obtained a Smart ID through bank branches in just over seven months. The service is live at 669 branches, and Home Affairs says applications are fully digital and secured through biometric technology.
The department plans to add passport and first-time Smart ID services. It will also stop producing the Green ID Book on March 31, 2027.
6. India’s Digi Yatra Opens International Trials
India’s Digi Yatra starts international trials on November 1 at seven airports: Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Chennai and Amritsar. According to the Digi Yatra Foundation, the trial is open to Indian citizens with e-passports flying Air India or selected IndiGo routes.
They can use face-based processing at terminal entry, the security hold area and boarding gates where equipped. The trials run through December 2026, and feedback will inform a wider rollout in 2027.
7. Ontario Plans Optional Digital ID, Starting With the Photo Card
On October 23, Ontario announced a phased plan for optional digital credentials. The first step is a digital version of the Ontario Photo Card, which is issued to residents without a driver’s licence.
Public consultations begin in late 2026, and digital driver’s licences and health cards would follow later. The province said it will introduce legislation in late 2027 to protect the right to use physical ID only. No launch date has been set.
8. Air New Zealand and Hong Kong Airport Earn First One ID Certifications
IATA announced that Air New Zealand and Hong Kong International Airport are the first organizations to earn its One ID Certification. The awards were presented at the IATA World Passenger Symposium in Macao.
The certification tells airlines, airports and governments that an organization’s use of digital identity and biometrics meets IATA’s global One ID standards. Both were certified across all areas that apply to their operations.
9. Romania’s Cluj Airport Opens 12 Biometric Border Gates
Cluj-Napoca’s airport put 12 automated border control gates into operation, Agerpres reported on October 27, citing a statement. The SITA-supplied gates use biometric verification and secure reading of electronic travel documents for eligible passengers.
One Border Police operator can supervise a group of six gates. The project cost RON 12,084,739 excluding VAT and was financed through a contract with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.
10. Trust Stamp Signs Nigerian Government Identity Deal
Trust Stamp signed a three-year, multi-million-dollar agreement with BLIP Limited, a Nigerian provider of digital registration platforms for the government. The company disclosed the deal in an SEC filing.
It will supply AI-powered identity tools for government programs and expects more than one million enrollments in the first year. The software will run in a customer-hosted environment, which Trust Stamp says supports data sovereignty.
Coming up
- Armenia, October 31: Citizens can start pre-registering for new biometric passports and ID cards through the Migration and Citizenship Service and Haypass websites, Armenpress reported.
- Switzerland, November 2: Biometric ID cards with a chip holding a face image and two fingerprints become available, the Federal Council said. The non-chip card stays an option. Read more
That is the week in biometrics. From Brazil’s mobile face checks to the first One ID certifications, it was a busy one. Check back next Friday for the next roundup, and follow BiometricToday for daily news in between.
