RNI Face scan

Municipality of Amsterdam

Automated facial comparison in the RNI registration process. Algorithm that can help registrants avoid "look-alike fraud".

Last change on 15th of April 2025, at 11:42 (CET) | Publication Standard 1.0

• Publication category: Impactful algorithms
• Impact assessment: Field not filled in.
• Status: In use

General information

Theme

Public Order and Safety

Begin date

Field not filled in.

Contact information

[e-mail]

Link to publication website

https://www.nederlandwereldwijd.nl/rni/contact-rni-gemeente https://algoritmes.overheid.nl/nl/algoritme/geautomatiseerde-gezichtsvergelijking-bij-het-rniinschrijfproces-rijksdienst-voor-identiteitsgegevens/18814864

Responsible use

Goal and impact

The algorithm compares the face of the person at the counter with the photo in his identity document and indicates how certain it is that the person in the photo of the scanned identity document is the same person. This algorithm helps the RNI employee at the counter to determine with greater certainty whether the person at the counter matches the person whose identity document has been scanned.

Amsterdam is one of the municipalities designated to maintain the RNI. For this purpose, the municipality has set up a counter at a number of locations where the technology described is used.

Considerations

The deployment of this algorithm helps the RNI employee establish the identity of the citizen at the counter.

Human intervention

Ultimately, the RNI officer decides whether to use the face scan and what to do with the result of the face scan in the process.

Risk management

There is a small risk that the processing of personal data will have a negative impact on the rights and freedoms of the data subjects Because the facial scan is not stored (the scan is only registered in the system during the process of identity determination and then only visible to the employees of the RNI counter), the risk of leakage or manipulation of the facial image is small.

Legal basis

Amsterdam municipality official does the work under the responsibility of the Ministry of Interior.

Articles of law:

• https://wetten.overheid.nl/jci1.3:c:BWBR0033715&hoofdstuk=2&afdeling=2&paragraaf=2&artikel=2.67&z=2025-02-12&g=2025-02-12
• https://wetten.overheid.nl/jci1.3:c:BWBR0034306&hoofdstuk=2&afdeling=2&paragraaf=2&artikel=35&z=2025-01-01&g=2025-01-01
• https://wetten.overheid.nl/jci1.3:c:BWBR0040940&hoofdstuk=3&paragraaf=3.1&artikel=29&z=2018-05-25&g=2018-05-25

Operations

Data

Photo of the chip from the identity document shown, a photo of the identity document and the photo taken by the face scanner.

Technical design

Deep learning. Advanced face recognition APIs: C++, Java, Microsoft .NET, BioAPI 2.0 Verification Engine (C API). Documented examples for key use cases and specific implementations. Tools for biometric evaluations, including generation of 'identification match' statements and 'similarity matrix' data.

When registering a citizen in the RNI, we use a scanning solution. This scanning solution consists of an ID scanner, an A4 scanner, a scan server, a small monitor and, since February 2021, also a face scanner. This scanning solution supports the RNI employee to register the applicant and, since the use of the face scanner, also to establish the applicant's identity. The data from the scanned identity document is displayed on the small monitor and if there are no details, the scanned data passes from the scanning solution to the RNI application. The data used to establish identity is not passed to the RNI application, but the result is displayed on the small monitor. The data from the scanned identity document are used for registration in RNI after approval by the RNI employee. Of the face scan, only a log line informs RNI that it has been performed and what the result was. This result may be: 'The faces are the same' or 'The faces are not the same'.

External provider

Cognitec and Thales