National Immigration Agency trusts Gemalto to replace all current paper cards by smart ID documents for foreign nationals

Taiwan, June 4, 2008–Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, today announces that Gemalto is the supplier of electronic Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) cards to the National Immigration Agency (NIA) in Taiwan. Compared to the existing paper cards, the Gemalto Sealys microprocessor version bolsters security by drastically improving resistance to forgery and counterfeiting. Uniquely, these contactless cards are the first electronic identification documents built on the strengths of electronic passport technology. These cards are also the first electronic foreigner identification cards in Asia. Gemalto has already delivered three hundred thousand of these identification cards. The National Immigration Agency plans to achieve replacement of all remaining paper cards by 2009.

The significant enhancement in security better protects the rights of the document bearer as the ARC is an important document permitting the bearer to remain in Taiwan throughout the validity period, maintain a local currency bank account, take ownership of vehicles as well as apply for a driver’s license.

The size of a credit card, the new microprocessor-based electronic ARC is compliant with the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standard. This meant the NIA and Gemalto were able to fast track the project, issuing the first cards to residents within 6 months after award of tender. The ICAO standard is an internationally recognized framework for the implementation of electronic passports. Just like for electronic passports, sensitive personal information and photograph are securely stored on the chip and protected with digital signatures. To make counterfeit reproduction even more difficult, the card combines the security features of microprocessor-based documents with highly sophisticated printing techniques.

A Gemalto Coesys personalization system delivered as part of the solution prepares the sensitive information that gets stored in the card and generates the digital security keys used to protect it. Being built as an open architecture, customization and integration to the host system was made both seamless and easy.

Tan Teck Lee, President of Gemalto Asia commented, “We have been involved and strongly committed to a significant number of important electronic government programs around the world. This gives us a great deal of experience in matching the unique requirements of the NIA with a customized offer that fit their needs. In the case of the NIA, it was a combination of advanced security technologies coupled with a specific but comprehensive personalization solution”.

A knock-on benefit of the polyvalent Gemalto Sealys technology is that the Alien Resident Certificate and the Permanent Resident Certificate can both be issued using the same card. For the NIA this represents considerable improvements in operational efficiency and savings in expense by integrating all resident certificates into one. The NIA needs just one card to issue Alien Resident Certificates and Permanent Resident Certificates (PARC) with physical markings distinguishing the two.

About Gemalto

Gemalto (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO) is the leader in digital security with pro forma 2007 annual revenues of over €1.6 billion, more than 85 offices in 40 countries and about 10,000 employees including 1,300 R&D engineers.
In a world where the digital revolution is increasingly transforming our lives, Gemalto’s solutions are designed to make personal digital interactions more convenient, secure and enjoyable.

Gemalto provides end-to-end digital security solutions, from the development of software applications through design and production of secure personal devices such as smart cards, SIMs, e-passports, and tokens to the deployment of managed services for its customers.

More than a billion people worldwide use the company’s products and services for telecommunications, financial services, e-government, identity management, multimedia content, digital rights management, IT security, mass transit and many other applications.

As the use of Gemalto’s software and secure devices increases with the number of people interacting in the digital and wireless world, the company is poised to thrive over the coming years.

Gemalto was formed in June 2006 by the combination of Axalto and Gemplus.

For more information please visit http://www.gemalto.com.

Media Contacts

Marcos Fernandes
T.: +852 2306 3626
M.: +852 6051 6425
marcos.fernandes@gemalto.com