Belize Forum

chipdownsouth
Joined 2015
Posts: 28

8 years ago

Ok, About That Chip In Your Passport

8 years ago

I spent most of the day yesterday trying to find out exactly what is on that little chip the State Dept is now putting in your passport. I must have looked over 20 websites regarding this, and got about 20 different answers.

The 1st question is why they put it there to start with. The apparent answer is 'because they can'. And why wouldn't they? The government listens to your phone calls, reads your mail, checks to see what movies you rent, what books you check out of the library, what websites you go to, and what you had for breakfast.

Secondly, the State Dept insists there is no actual information on the chip, only a number that references a file maintained by the department. This is supposedly to protect you from unauthorized chip readers collecting information about you. Of course, we all know that hackers never get into systems like that! And if they do get into your passport they receive the message "This is tourist, probably with money in his pocket".

Some sites will tell you the only thing on the chip is biometric information such as your description and a digital picture. Others say that if you are an international criminal, or if there is a warrant out for you, that will be detected when your passport is scanned, and you will be arrested at that point. So much for biometrics only.

Then there is the fingerprint issue. Since they fingerprint you at customs, there has to be something to match the prints up with. More biometric information, or FBI records? Does that include your religious affiliation? Your sexual preferences? Your membership in AARP? Are you a republican or a democrat?

One thing is for sure...we can trust whatever the government tells us. We all know they would never lie to us, And they are totally competent. And they wouldn't put something on that chip without telling us it's there.

One interesting point I found was that the State Department will use these chips to prevent someone from leaving the country. A felon who has served their time and is on parole or federal supervised release cannot be prevented from leaving. If they were it would constitute detention, and thus they would still be imprisoned...just a prison with a bigger fence.

So they accomplish this not by preventing someone from leaving, but by preventing that person from entering another country, which pretty much gets the job done. And they do this by making agreements with other countries that "we won't let your people into the US, and you won't let our citizens into yours".

And how would they accomplish this? Passport chips.

Like with so many other topics, there is a plethora of information available on the internet. But you have no way of knowing what info is correct, and what is not. No matter how many times you have traveled and had your passport scanned and your fingerprints taken, you have no way of knowing what's on that chip except for what the government tells you is on it.

And we all know the government wouldn't lie to us, or engage in covert snooping.

Just ask Eric Snowden. Maybe we can get him a job at State, and find out what's really going on.

Maybe someone out there works for the State Department and can give us accurate, truthful information about this. But I doubt it.

By the way...since I have posted this on a public website, and have mentioned both the State Dept and Eric Snowden, it should be only a matter of a few minutes until the NSA is reading it. So if you don't hear from me for a while you may conclude that I got a visit from the men in black.

Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Living in Belize Guide

Anyone thinking about moving to Belize should carefully consider the pros and cons of expat life in Belize. The article includes insight from expats about the cons (crime, limited healthcare, poor road conditions and more) and the pros (beautiful beaches, friendly people, low cost of living and more).

Belize Forum
Join our Belize forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Belize.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Belize.

Best Places to Live in Belize

If you're considering a move to Belize, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Belize in 2023.

Healthcare in Belize

Expats in Belize share tips and advice about healthcare and health insurance in Belize. While some expats advise those with serious health issues not to move to Belize, other expats choose Corozal for its proximity to doctors and clinics over the border in Chetumal, Mexico.

Cost of Living in Belize

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Belize.

Moving to Belize Guide

Expats that move to Belize learn to enjoy a breathtakingly beautiful setting without some of the essentials they may have taken to granted in their home countries.

Real Estate in Belize

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Belize.

Pros & Cons of Living in Belize

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Belize.

Retiring in Belize

Advice for people retiring in Belize.

10 Tips for Living in Belize

If you've recently arrived in Belize, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in Belize.

Additional Information:

Visit our Belize Index for a Full List

Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Allianz Care

Flexible solutions allow you to tailor your cover to meet your needs and budget. Use Promocode: LIFE10 and get 10% off your international health insurance for life!
Get Quote

Contribute
Help others in Belize by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Belize.