VISG Viisage Technology (MM)

Australia's Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs Awards Viisage Contract for Authentication of E-passports; Marks Third Consecutive Contract from an Australian Agency Viisage (Nasdaq: VISG), a leading provider of advanced technology identity solutions, today announced that the Australia Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) has selected the Viisage iA-thenticate(R) Smart Chip/RFID Electronic Document Reader to improve security in more than 25 Australian overseas locations worldwide. This is the third of three consecutive contracts awarded to Viisage from the Australian government. Australia has been a leader in implementing Viisage's innovative document authentication technologies and products, which include one of the world's largest document databases for ensuring the authenticity of standard identity documents. DIMA plans to use the Viisage iA-thenticate Smart Chip/RFID Electronic Document Reader to improve overall security around the issuance of travel and identity documents, specifically e-passports. The product is designed to ensure that all documents presented as proof of identification are credible and authentic. Following Brazil's implementation, previously announced in March 2006, this marks the second deployment of this unique product since its recent launch. Viisage provides other document authentication products to more than 20 countries including Australia, Canada, Sweden, Hungary, Brazil, Japan, and The United Arab Emirates. Given the increased global risk of terrorist activities, DIMA focused on eliminating the use of one of the terrorists' most important tools - false identity documents, including passports, visas, and national IDs. With Viisage's automated document authentication technology, DIMA can authenticate the security features on standard travel documents presented at the Australian embassies globally and automatically detect fraudulent documents. Among other identity documents Viisage's iA-thenticate Smart Chip/RFID Electronic Document Reader will authenticate Australia's leading e-passport, which contains biometrics to identify the passport owner. Australia is regarded as a leader in using this technology to protect its nation against individuals attempting to penetrate its borders illegally. DIMA is the third consecutive Australian government department to award Viisage a contract to implement its technology, demonstrating the growing use of document authentication in support of national and international security. Previously, the Australian Customs Service (ACS) selected Viisage's iA-thenticate product for all Australian international airports to help authorities efficiently monitor who enters and departs the country, and the Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) uses Viisage's automated authentication technology to ensure document security and provide quality control of newly issued passports. "Viisage's product will help us improve security and extend this security beyond our borders," said Janette Haughton, DIMA spokesperson on identity technology. "We believe these installations will significantly enhance our ability to detect fraudulent documents before a visa is granted and an unwanted visitor travels to Australia." "Due to heightened awareness of the threats posed by international travel, countries are required to have tighter security," said Ron van Os, Chief Product Officer of Viisage. "Increasingly, our government customers are recognizing the value our products offer to better manage their borders. Australia is on the leading edge with implementations throughout several agencies, which provides both heightened protection and continuity in their national security measures." iA-thenticate Smart Chip verifies data in e-passports and the MRZ (machine-readable zone) and expiration date. The system captures, analyzes, and authenticates information contained in travel and identity documents with color images and populates applications with information contained in the identity document. Additionally iA-thenticate tests information for formatting consistency to confirm authenticity. Australia's leadership in the deployment and usage of this technology has been recognized by other Viisage customers and prospects as exemplary, particularly in the application of ferreting out terrorists attempting to enter the country. As electronic passports become a standard around the world, Viisage will continue to provide leading products to ensure the authenticity of these important identity documents. Viisage is already at the forefront of the e-passport wave, providing RFID document authentication to the countries that are the most progressive and innovative regarding identity and safeguarding their national borders. Viisage is helping to make the use of e-passports a travel advantage for citizens of these countries by quickly and securely authenticating e-passports. About Viisage Viisage (NASDAQ: VISG) delivers advanced technology identity solutions for governments, law enforcement agencies and businesses concerned with enhancing security, reducing identity theft, and protecting personal privacy. Viisage solutions include secure credentials such as passports and drivers' licenses, biometric technologies for uniquely linking individuals to those credentials, and credential authentication technologies to ensure the documents are valid before individuals are allowed to cross borders, gain access to finances, or be granted other privileges. With more than 3,000 installations worldwide, Viisage's identity solutions stand out as a result of the company's industry-leading technology and unique understanding of customer needs. Viisage's product suite includes IdentityTOOLS(TM) SDK, Viisage PROOF(TM), FaceEXPLORER(R), iA-thenticate(R), ID-GUARD(R), BorderGuard(R), PIER(TM), HIIDE(TM), AutoTest(TM), FacePASS(TM) and FaceFINDER(R). This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this document and those made from time to time by Viisage through its senior management are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to the future events or financial performance discussed in this release, based on management's beliefs and assumptions and information currently available. When used, the words "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "project", "should", "expect", "plan", "assume" and similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements concerning future plans or results are necessarily only estimates and actual results could differ materially from expectations. Certain factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among other things the size and timing of contract awards, performance on contracts, performance of acquired companies, availability and cost of key components, unanticipated results from audits of the financial results of the Company and acquired companies, changing interpretations of generally accepted accounting principles, outcomes of government reviews, developments with respect to litigation to which we are a party, potential fluctuations in quarterly results, dependence on large contracts and a limited number of customers, lengthy sales and implementation cycles, market acceptance of new or enhanced products and services, proprietary technology and changing competitive conditions, system performance, management of growth, dependence on key personnel, ability to obtain project financing, general economic and political conditions and other factors affecting spending by customers, and the unpredictable nature of working with government agencies. In addition, such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the following risks: that the merger with Identix will not close, that the regulatory or shareholder approval will not be obtained, that the closing will be delayed, that customers and partners will not react favorably to the merger, integration risks, the risk that the combined companies may be unable to achieve cost-cutting synergies, and other risks described in Viisage's and Identix' Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including the Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC in connection with the transaction, Viisage's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006 under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," and Identix' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2005 and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended September 30, 2005, December 31, 2005 and March 31, 2006 under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations." Viisage expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.