AI techs developed for better use of expat ID 'five-star card'
A Shanghai-based company is offering AI-powered adaptation and usage optimization for the latest version of the permanent residence identity card for expats, or the "five-star card," which was launched last month.
The techs help organizations, from banks, transportation stations to government bureaus, to easily recognize the cards and improve its adaptation, facilitation and safety, Intsig,the Shanghai-based firm that developed the OCR (optical character recognition) technologies, announced on Wednesday.
The new-version expat ID card, also called the "five-star card," was officially issued nationwide on December 1, 2023.
The new-version expat ID card was officially issued nationwide on December 1 last year. Because of the newly-added five-star element, this version of the permanent residence permit has been dubbed the "five-star card."
In detail, it optimizes the storage method of document information, beautifies the layout, adopts more advanced anti-counterfeiting technology, and enhances personal information protection and data security, according to the National Immigration Administration.
The holder can use the card alone as a personal identity certificate when it is necessary to prove his or her identity instead of presenting a passport. It can be used by expats as a key document for financial, educational, medical, transportation, accommodation, communication, work, tax and social insurance, property registration and litigation in China.
Intsig's techs help organizations to intelligently and quickly identify English and Chinese names in the new version of the card, as well as gender, date of birth, nationality, document number, expiry date, and issuing authority information, even in dark and complicated environments.
As an artificial intelligence firm developing OCR techs for many years, Intsig's applications are being used in various industries and in over 50 languages, including English, French, German, Italian and Japanese.
New AI techs that deal with complicated usage environments can help expats make better use of the card.
The techs can also detect tampered or counterfeit images, which are virtually invisible to the human eye, according to Intsig.
With the new permanent residency card, expats can conveniently purchase plane and train tickets; check in at hotels; conduct financial transactions such as banking, securities, and foreign exchange; handle communication services such as mobile phones and WiFi access; and process matters related to taxation, social insurance, property registration, public security and traffic management, customs, and other government services. They can also easily register and use various internet e-commerce platforms such as Alipay, WeChat, and JD.com.
Since the issuance of the new version of the card, the number of new applications and replacements has increased significantly, the National Immigration Administration said in January.
