Smart Automated Border Control System for Pakistan Airports Using ML-based Biometric Measures

Abstract

With the global population on the rise, the substantial increase in cross-border travel poses heightened security risks, the potential for the spread of pandemics such as COVID-19, congestion, delays in the check-in and checkout process, and various other challenges. This paper introduces a novel smart Automated Border Control system referred to as ABC system tailored for Pakistan. Employing advanced biometric technologies, including contactless facial and palm recognition systems, the proposed system aims to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic at border crossings. A travel document reader system, leveraging Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, retrieves passport-based information from the database. State-of-the-art machine learning-based facial recognition algorithms and recent contactless palm recognition methodologies authenticate and validate passengers entering Pakistan. Furthermore, the proposed system is designed for seamless integration with existing services such as the Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) for immigration, Exit Control List (ECL), NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority) database, online Visa database, Passport database, and Advance Passenger Information (API) or Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems. By expediting the authentication process, the system significantly reduces delays in immigration procedures.