Which fingerprint type have airports been transitioning to?

• A. Type 4
• B. Type 14
• C. Type 7
• D. Type 6

Answer: (B)

Fingerprints are stored and compared using standardized template formats, which encode the biometric information in a way that different systems can read and match efficiently. Airports have been moving toward a newer, more interoperable template type because it makes cross-border biometric checks faster and more reliable. The newer template is designed to be compact and standardized, so it works smoothly with different vendors and national systems while supporting secure handling of data. This means you can enroll a fingerprint once and have it usable across multiple countries and agencies, which is crucial for high-throughput environments like airports. Older formats tend to be larger, less compatible across systems, or lacking the modern features needed for privacy and fast matching, so the shift to the newer type is driven by efficiency, interoperability, and security benefits.