Facial recognition to replace passports at Australian airports

Facial recognition could soon replace the need to use passports at Australian airports.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection is seeking tenders for a self-processing system, which would use fingerprints, iris or facial structure recognition, to be introduced later this year.

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Speaking to ABC News, immigration minister Peter Dutton said: "In many cases that will mean people, whilst they'll still have to carry their passport, may not have to present their passport at all in the long term.

"But in the immediate term, this will make it easier, it will make it quicker, for people going in and out of our airports."

The government reportedly aims to have 90 per cent of travellers processed automatically, without human involvement, by 2019.

The technology is set to be tested in July at Canberra airport before being introduced at a major airport in November, with the rollout being completed by March 2019.

It is hoped that improved technology will work to strengthen the security of the country's borders.

According to the Guardian, a 2015 statement from the immigration department said: "Biometric capability will reduce manual processes, allowing a fast, seamless self-processing experience for up to 90% of travellers and enable border control officers to concentrate on passengers of interest."