For three decades, governments issuing identity documents have faced with a dilemma: they either had to prioritise the integrity of the picture or focus on the high resolution and quality of the portraits. Having both was impossible.
That all changed last week at the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s ICAO TRIP Symposium in Montreal. TRIP, for Traveller Identification Programme, is part of the UN agency’s strategy to establish the goal and objectives of traveller identification management, and lead and reinforce a global approach.
At the 2025 Symposium last week, Toppan Security, a global leader in secure identity and payment solutions, unveiled a technology called Chroma, claimed to be “the world’s first laser technology to deliver full-colour, photo-realistic, personalisation for polycarbonate identity documents, with important potential for Africa’s socioeconomic development”.
“Chroma brings identity to life with unmatched realism and precision, delivering lifelike imagery on secure polycarbonate documents that exceed today’s security benchmarks, as well as driving inclusive citizenship and security,” said Jean-Pierre Ting, president of Toppan Security.
He said that African countries would be able to benefit extensively from implementing the tool, as it ensures:
- Enhanced security against forgery: Document fraud remains a challenge in some regions, especially at borders and in financial inclusion programmes. Chroma’s laser-engraved colour images are embedded into the document’s body, not printed on top, making counterfeiting or photo substitution impossible.
- Improved accuracy for migration and border control: The highly precise, true-to-life portrait reproduction enabled by Chroma strengthens visual verification at borders and checkpoints. By enhancing facial recognition and preventing human misidentification, the technology improves the accuracy and efficiency of migration management and security screening.
“Chroma Sets the New Global Standard”
Toppan provided the following information on Chroma:
Black and white laser engraving has been long the gold standard for secure document personalisation. Unlike surface printing methods that merely apply ink or dye to the exterior, laser engraving permanently embeds personal data and portraits deep within the polycarbonate structure of the document. This fusion creates exceptional durability and resistance to tampering, alteration, or environmental wear.
While colour personalisation technologies have emerged in recent years, the existing technologies all come with significant drawbacks that have delayed adoptions. As a result, only around 20 countries worldwide have opted for colour portraits to date on polycarbonate.
Chroma changes that. It redefines what’s possible in colour personalisation, combining the trusted security of laser engraving with vibrant, lifelike precision that enhances recognition, not distracts from it.
The Chroma technology fuses photosensitive cyan, magenta, and yellow dyes with a single precision laser beam, achieving true polychromatic engraving directly within the polycarbonate structure. The result is a tamper-proof colour image that captures the tones, textures, and subtleties that make every face unique.
Why colour is key to identity verification
Colour is not just for aesthetics; it is fundamental to human recognition and identity verification. We distinguish faces through skin tones, eye colour, and subtle features that define individual identity.
At border control, officers see travellers in colour, while the person’s image, stored on the chip of a travel document, also appears in full colour on the officer’s screen. For optimal verification, the personalised portrait on the document must reflect the same colour realism as both the person and the chip image.
Chroma ensures alignment across all three verification points producing a personalised image that mirrors both the chip data and the individual standing before the officer. This enhances recognition confidence and streamlines verification processes.
“Identity documents must do more than fraud prevention, they should preserve the truth of who we are,” said Frederic Jacquot, Toppan director and head of product for ID documents. “Chroma provides the authenticity and assurance that governments and citizens require.”