16-11-2022

The use of forged documents and identity theft is a worldwide problem. The European Union has responded to the problem by building an online archive that assists EU officials in identifying false documents. FADO plays an important role in border security and public safety.

The False and Authentic Documents Online (FADO) system aids in the prevention of irregular migration in the EU.

The online image-archiving system enables photos of authentic and forged travel documents to be quickly exchanged throughout EU countries, making it a significant weapon in the battle against document and identity fraud.

FADO, a ‘European picture archiving system’ at the time, was formed in 1998 and is handled by the Council General Secretariat.

FADO has been moved to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency with the introduction of the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation (Frontex). The agency will now specify the data protection requirements as well as the system’s content.

This essay examines EU statistics to demonstrate why FADO is so critical in the prevention of unlawful cross-border activities.

WHICH FAKE DOCUMENTS DOES FADO HELP DETECT?

EU authorities can communicate information regarding real and false papers, particularly the following, using the False and Authentic Documents Online system:

  • Visas
  • Passports
  • Driving licenses
  • Residence permits
  • Civil status documents

FADO is used by the EBCG Agency, as well as national police officers and border guards, to assist them identify counterfeit papers and thereby reduce the number of people who use a fake passport or other fake ID to cross the border and enter EU territory.

FALSE IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC

The database is open to the public as well as European authorities. The system’s public component is the Public Register of Authentic Travel and Identity Documents Online (PRADO).

Individuals, corporations, and organisations can use PRADO to verify the validity of documents.

DATA PROCESSING AND PROTECTION

Data protection is an important topic since the information contained in the FADO database is available to authority figures and the general public.

To comply with EU data protection regulations, FADO processes just the minimal amount of personal information required. Individuals should not be recognisable from the data whenever feasible for further protection.

EUROPE’S DOCUMENT AND IDENTITY FRAUD STATISTICS

The frequency of rejected entry owing to phoney papers across the EU demonstrates the scale of document and identity fraud, and hence the necessity of FADO.

Eurostat statistics indicate the number of people who were barred from entering each EU Member State between 2010 and 2019 because they had forged travel papers, visas, or residence cards, as determined by FADO.

The most important features and details are discussed below.

TOTAL NUMBER OF REFUSED ENTRIES TO THE EU

The total number of people refused entry into an EU country due to a fake travel document, visa, or residence permit increased from 5,050 in 2010 to 7,545 in 2019.

Notably, the number of persons stopped from entering the EU with fake travel papers declined from 2,585 in 2010 to 1,835 in 2019, but the detection of fake visas and residence permits grew from 2,465 to 5,710.

It is also worth noting that increases and decreases do not follow a straight line. The discovery of forged visas and resident permits fell to 2,100 in 2013, before rising again to its 2019 high.

Similarly, despite a decreased trend during the time, there was a modest increase in bogus travel papers in 2018 compared to the preceding two years.

COUNTRIES WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF REFUSED ENTRIES

By examining national statistics, it is feasible to determine which EU Member States are most afflicted by attempted identity theft and bogus paperwork.

FALSE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

France is the member state that has rejected access to the majority of those who have a fake passport or other fraudulent travel document.

The largest number was reported in 2018, when 885 persons were discovered to be carrying forged travel papers. In 2019, the figure fell to 515, a significant improvement.

Nonetheless, this is much greater than the second-highest country, Hungary, which recorded 305 occurrences in 2019.

On the other end of the spectrum, neither Norway nor Iceland has had to refuse entry to foreigners attempting to enter the country using forged travel documents.

FALSE RESIDENCE PERMIT OR VISA

Ireland has by far the biggest number of rejected admissions due to fake visas or resident cards. In 2019, Ireland accounted for 4,940 of the 5,710 rejected entry registered across the EU.

Spain and France are the Schengen nations most impacted by bogus visa and residency permit usage, with each dealing with hundreds of instances each year.

During that time, the number of persons seeking to enter France with a forged visa or residence card has decreased by half, from 330 in 2010 to 155 in 2019. Statistics in Spain, on the other hand, have been rather consistent, with 200 instances recorded in 2010 and 195 in 2019.

No one was denied admission into Norway, Iceland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, or Liechtenstein because they had a fraudulent visa or residency permit.

MOST NOTABLE EVENTS DURING THE 2010-2019 PERIOD

To understand peaks and troughs over time, consider world events that occurred at the time and the effects they had on individual member states and the EU as a whole. When analysing the data, the following years stand out:

2011

  • False visa or residence permit jumps from 90 to 555 in Germany, before falling to 70 in 2012

2012

  • The year with highest refused entry to the EU due to fake travel document
  • False travel document denial in Poland rises from 20 to 110 (before declining to 10 by 2019)
  • An exceptionally large number or refused entries to Greece, 1,060 attempts to cross the border with false travel documents, by 2019 the number is just 25

2019

  • The year with highest refused entry to the EU due to fake visa or residence permit

FURTHER EFFORTS TO IMPROVE EUROPE’S BORDER SECURITY

FADO is only one of the ways the EU is attempting to improve borders and deter illegal immigration.

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is set to be live in November 2023 with the goal of improving public safety. Unlike FADO, ETIAS is designed exclusively for travellers who do not require a visa to enter Europe.

THE ETIAS VISA WAIVER FOR THIRD-COUNTRY NATIONALS

Citizens of more than 50 third-country countries do not require a visa to enter an external EU border. Once ETIAS is operational, these travellers will be prescreened and given an ETIAS visa waiver before being allowed to enter.

Applicants apply for ETIAS online, giving basic personal information and passport information. ETIAS data protection will be comprehensive, with encryption preventing unauthorised copying of records for fraudulent reasons.

This information is cross-checked against EU security databases, and possibly hazardous persons are denied travel authorization and are unable to lawfully cross the border.

Once approved, ETIAS is linked to the electronic chip in the passport, making it exceedingly difficult for thieves to fabricate a bogus visa waiver. ETIAS, in conjunction with FADO, should make it much more difficult for criminals to enter Europe using forged documents.