Is it worth getting a new passport

**partygirl** · 23-06-2011, 10:59 AM

I noticed that if you had a new biometric digital passport you can use fast lanes at orlando and uk airports. Anyone know if this is really faster? is it so much better than it's worth spending the money on new passports even though ours havent expired

**Wendy** · 23-06-2011, 02:22 PM

I think it depends on how many years you have left on your existing passport

it's a lot of money to spend if you've got 6 years left.

If you have a digital photo, which most passports do have now, you can register for IRIS.

IRIS is in operation at the following UK airports:

Four Heathrow terminals
Manchester terminals 1 and 2
Birmingham terminal 1

Gatwick Airport's south terminal is being redeveloped, which means that the IRIS barrier has been removed and there is no date as yet to when it will replaced.

What IRIS does is it makes use of the fact that the pattern of the iris in each person's eye (the coloured part of the eye) is unique. This enables a person to be identified simply by looking into a special camera at the IRIS barrier located in the immigration arrival hall.

The IRIS system uses a photograph of the iris pattern, converts it into a digital code and then compares it with others stored in a secure database. If the iris pattern matches the corresponding one on the database and the registration is still valid, that person can enter the UK by passing through the IRIS barrier in the immigration arrival hall.

You will find all the information you need here

I don't know if they have anything like this in the US though