Biometrics

How do you use biometrics?

We use iris images and fingerprints to verify the identification of our members as individuals who have been approved by the Transportation Security Administration to participate in the registered traveler program.

We take data security seriously and have put in place sophisticated and tested measures to protect all of your information.

Only templates of the fingerprint are stored in the system, meaning only a digital representation of the specific points on the finger is stored, not the image itself. Since the template only holds information about points located on the fingerprint, the original image cannot be recreated.

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What is iris technology?

Like fingerprints, no two irises are alike. Iris recognition is a powerful biometric technology that involves no physical contact with the device.

The iris is the colored ring that surrounds the pupil in your eye. Iris recognition uses a camera similar to a home digital camera to capture an image of the iris. This allows for a non-intrusive method of capturing an image, since we simply take a picture of the iris from a distance of 3 to 10 inches away.

A retinal scan is not required for Clear membership. We use iris images, not retinal scans, and there is a significant difference. We take a picture of your iris, which is much less intrusive than a retinal scan. Retinal scanning requires a very close encounter with a scanning device that sends a beam of light deep inside the eye to capture an image of the retina. Since the retina is located on the back of the eye, retinal scanning has not been widely accepted due to the intrusive process required to capture an image. We do not use it.

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Is it safe to capture my iris image?

Our photographic process for capturing your iris image is as safe as looking in a mirror.

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Can you capture my iris if I wear glasses or contacts?

Iris imaging captures the iris portion of the eye to create a template. Iris imaging will work even if you wear contacts.

The glare of the glasses caused by the lighting condition in the room can block the iris image and prevent successful enrollment. Although you can re-position the camera to reduce the reflection, it is easier to take off your glasses. This will not affect your use of glasses for verification at the Clear lane.

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Can someone fake my biometric?

The idea behind biometrics is that your biometric identifier - be it a fingerprint or an iris image - is unique to you.

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What is fingerprinting technology and how does it work?

Fingerprinting is the acquisition and storage of the image of a fingerprint. The FBI has been collecting fingerprint cards since 1924. More advanced optical or non-contact fingerprinting systems usually use prints from several fingers and are now the standard.

Finger-scan technology also acquires the fingerprint, but does not store the full image, it does not use ink of any kind.

For security reasons, the fingerprint itself is not stored. Instead a template of the fingerprint, which describes some of the key features and their locations of the fingerprint, is stored. The reason we take more than one impression of each finger is to create an exact template, which is much safer than storing an actual image of the fingerprint. This method ensures that the image cannot be synthesized from the template data.

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What if my fingerprints cannot be captured?

A minimum of four fingerprints are required to complete enrollment. If a person is missing one hand, only the existing hand will be fingerprinted. If we cannot capture at least four fingerprints, we cannot complete your enrollment and your application will not be submitted to the TSA for approval.

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Do I need to re-enroll with my fingerprints and iris image for renewal?

As long as you renew on time, you do not need to resubmit your biometrics. Your original biometric information will be valid and your Clear card will continue to work. However, if you allow your account to expire, we will no longer have your information on file and you will need to wait 90 days to re-apply for Clear.

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How can I check my account status?

You can check the status of your Clear account at anytime by signing into My Account.

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