Biometric Travel

Biometric Passports have been around for over a decade now and still many countries/territories do not use them. Here's a list of which places use them and when available the price their cost.

Biometric Passport, 10 Year Validity:
-          Albania (50 Euros), Algeria ($25 US), Argentina (400 P), Armenia, Australia ($244 AD), Austria (75.90 Euros), Azerbaijan, Canada ($160 CD), China, Croatia (390 K), Cyprus (70 Euros), Czech Republic (600 CK), Denmark (625 DK), France (86 Euros), Germany (59 Euros), Gibraltar (72.50 Pounds), Guernsey (72.50 Pounds), Hungary (14,000 F), Hong Kong (SAR), Hong Kong (BNO), Iceland (65 Euros), India (1,500 R), Ireland (80 Euros), Isle of Man (72.50 Pounds), Israel, Italy (116 Euros), Japan, Jersey (72.50 Euros), Kazakhstan,  Liechtenstein (250 F), Lithuania (48 Euros), Macao, Macedonia (22 Euros), Malta (70 Euros), Montenegro (40 Euros), Netherlands (66.96 Euros), Norway ($75 US), Pakistan ($48 US), Poland (140 Zl), Russia (2,500 Rubles), Serbia (2,000 D), Slovakia (33 Euros), Slovenia (42.05 Euros), Spain (25.50 Euros), Taiwan ($45 US), Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine (377.15 H), United Kingdom (72.50 Pounds), United States ($135 US)

Biometric Passport, 5 Year Validity:
-          Afghanistan ($100 US), Belgium (71 Euros), Brazil ($156.07 US), Bulgaria (20 Euros), Bosnia & Herzegovina (40 KM), Chile ($103 US), Congo, Rep. ($20 US), Estonia (28.76 Euros), Finland (48 Euros), Greece (84.40 Euros), Indonesia ($15 US), Iran ($37 US), Latvia (28.46 Euros), Lebanon ($200 US), Luxembourg (30 Euros), Malaysia (300 R), Maldives, Morocco (300 D), New Zealand ($140 NZ), Panama ($100 US), Philippines (950 P), Portugal, Romania (59 Euros), Somalia,  Sweden (350 K), Switzerland (140 F), Thailand ($35 US), Turkey


Biometric Passport, 6 Year Validity:     -          Costa Rica ($32 US)

Biometric Passport, 7 Year Validity:   -          Moldova (45 Euros)

Biometric, Unknown Validity:
-          Andorra, Bahamas, Belarus, Bermuda, Botswana, Dominican Republic (1,200 P), Egypt, Georgia, Ghana, Kosovo, Mauritania, Nigeria ($65 US), Qatar (100 R), Saudi Arabia (150 R), Singapore, South Korea, South Sudan, Sudan ($100 US), Togo, Uzbekistan, Venezuela

Not only does it amaze me that s many countries and territories still do not have biometric passports, but also those countries that have biometric passports and only made them have a 5 year validity for adults. The countries that have 10 year validity passports have them for adults while only children have them for 5 years so maybe that's one reason it surprises me  - kind of like the country thinks of their citizens as children so they can only have 5 year passport validity. The other reason is that many places require your passport to have 6 months remaining to visit and so having a 5 year passport validity seems like a waste. It is also interesting to see how much a country charges their citizens for a passport when you look at the same type and validity in another country and the price is much lower (or much higher.) I guess for most travel is not a right and the cost of a passport helps enforce that.