After many years, I am considering renewing my Swiss passport.
However, after enquiring about it, I am told fingerprints are now required to get a Swiss passport. This is something that is usually only done to criminals, and this policy surprised me. I am not sure if I want to proceed. After spending so much time in Canada, especially in smaller communities, I am accustomed to almost never needing ID. I mean, Canada does not require registering a heimatschein whenever you move and, except for a drivers licence, I rarely carry ID with me at all. I like this freedom, and not feeling tracked by government.
It irritates me that fingerprints are required to renew a Swiss passport.
What is done with these fingerprints? Are they saved within a single department of the Swiss government, or are they shared with other departments? Is the information shared even further, perhaps with other levels of government, or even other nations' governments? How secure is the information stored? In light of WikiLeaks and all the hacking incidents that have been reported in the past few years, I am extremely concerned about how information is shared and secured. To me, the best way to ensure this information is safe, is not to have it at all.
Absolutely right, David. It's the only way you can be sure of being safe . That's why I always travel outside the house with these on. You can never be too sure.
What are you worried about? Concerned that if you do commit a crime, you might get caught? Or just that the government might sell a few fingerprints to identity fraudsters to raise some cash to keep the taxes low?
By the way, are you one of those fun conspiracy theorists? We have a few of them here. Always good for a giggle. Fridays are best, around 3:00 pm.
David, I suppose if you don't renew the passport you will be stuck in Canada. Now if you did get the Swiss passport renewed and always wore white cotton gloves and a Harry Potter invisibility cloak, you would achieve your objective: able to move about with nobody knowing where or who you were.
Paranoia much? What exactly do you think they will do with your fingerprints?
And do you really think you're untraceable because you didn't leave your fingerprints on some document in Canada? I'm sure you use the internet and at least one credit card. There's your trace.
And my guess is most governments have better things to do than follow your every move.
So bottom line, don't like it, don't get a new passport. Simple. Biometric passports are pretty standard these days though, and Canada has it too btw.
Actually I'm rather glad they took my fingerprints for mine. As I wasn't allowed to wear my glasses (too much reflection) and I wear them from 5 seconds after waking until 5 seconds before I fall asleep, my photo doesn't even vaguely resemble me (well, I jolly well hope I don't look like that) and my signature comes out different every time, the fingerprints are going to be the only proof I have that I am who I said I am!