No one can read or access the information on the security chip in an electronic passport without you knowing it, even if someone is standing next to you with a special reader, for example, as long as the epassport is protected by access control security. Although there are global standards, each country determines how they will implement epassport access security. One way is with Basic Access Control, or BAC. In this case, the epassport chip is "locked" with a key that is unique to each epassport. The border agent must first physically open your passport book to get the printed key to access the chip information. The smart card chip encrypts, or scrambles, the data before transmitting it to the passport terminal, making the information useless to any eavesdropper. It's also important to know that the epassport chip only communicates over very short distances of one or two inches.

A more advanced mechanism is Extended Access Control (EAC), which is currently in the testing phase in the European Union. EAC is based on a complex interchange between the epassport microprocessor chip and the reader. Each must verify the other before exchanging any passport information. After confirmation, EAC creates a highly secure communication session that enables the stored personal and biometric data to be shared with the reader. Implementation of EAC is tied to the use of fingerprint biometrics planned in the EU.