Home / Glossary terms Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) Plain definition An online permission a traveller obtains before the trip. Kenya asks travellers to apply at least 72 hours ahead and issues none on arrival 1 Standard or source Kenya High Commission, London 1
Category Travel permission ETA (South Africa) Plain definition An online authorisation that matches a passport photo to a selfie and runs automated risk checks before approval, as reported 2 Standard or source Engineering News, as reported 2
Category Travel permission e-visa Plain definition A visa applied for and paid for online. In Ethiopia approval comes by email and the passport is stamped on arrival 8 Standard or source Embassy of Ethiopia, London 8
Category Travel permission Visa Express and Visa Standard Plain definition Morocco's two eVisa processing tracks, 24 hours and 72 hours for tourism or business visas, as reported at launch 7 Standard or source Finances News Hebdo, as reported 7
Category Travel permission Port-of-entry visa Plain definition A visa needed before arrival for some nationals. South Africa's ETA is to become compulsory in phases for these nationals, as reported 2 Standard or source Engineering News, as reported 2
Category Travel permission e-gate Plain definition An automated gate that clears a traveller without an officer. Ghana's gates at Kotoka airport use biometrics, and visitors pre-register first, as reported 9 Standard or source Ghana News Agency, as reported 9
Category Border control Automatic gates (Morocco) Plain definition Gates at Mohammed V airport that replaced a second passport check after the entry stamp 11 Standard or source Maroc.ma (MAP) 11
Category Border control Facial verification Plain definition A camera check that the person at the border is the person authorised to travel. South Africa uses it on arrival and departure, as reported 2 Standard or source Engineering News, as reported 2
Category Border control EMCS 2.0 Plain definition South Africa's upgraded Electronic Movement Control System at international airports, upgraded by the BMA with SARS, as reported 2 Standard or source Engineering News, as reported 2
Category Border control Border Management Authority (BMA) Plain definition South Africa's border body under the BMA Act. In August 2020 the Act still had to be brought into operation 3 Standard or source Parliamentary committee record 3
Category Border control MIDAS Plain definition The IOM Migration Information and Data Analysis System. In Ethiopia it captures biographic and biometric data at land, sea and air border posts 6 Standard or source Ethiopian News Agency, as reported 6
Category Border control ABIS Plain definition Automated Biometric Identification System. In South Africa it can store iris and facial data, beyond photographs and fingerprints 3 Standard or source Parliamentary committee record 3
Category Identity and biometrics HANIS Plain definition South Africa's older identity system, which stored only photographs and fingerprints 3 Standard or source Parliamentary committee record 3
Category Identity and biometrics AFIS Plain definition Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Thales lists a central AFIS in its Ghana e-Immigration statement 5 Standard or source Thales company statement 5
Category Identity and biometrics Prime contractor and systems integrator Plain definition The role Thales says it holds in Ghana: integrating the visa and border solution and providing training and maintenance 5 Standard or source Thales company statement 5
Category Contracts Cession Plain definition Passing a contract to another company. DHA said EOH needed its consent, and Treasury approved the ABIS cession to IDEMIA on 11 February 2021 4 ,10 Standard or source Parliamentary committee records 4 ,10
Category Contracts Irregular expenditure Plain definition Spending under a contract found to breach procurement rules. The ABIS forensic report said all payments should be reported this way 4 Standard or source Parliamentary committee record 4
Category Contracts Condonation Plain definition A request that National Treasury excuse irregular expenditure. DHA asked for it on 12 April 2021 for ABIS 4 Standard or source Parliamentary committee record 4
Category Contracts Public-private partnership (PPP) Plain definition A procurement route DHA planned in 2020 to appoint a replacement for its visa services provider 10 Standard or source Parliamentary committee record 10
Category Contracts Advance Cargo Information (ACI) Plain definition Egypt's pre-shipment registration of cargo data through the Nafeza single window, mandatory from October 2021 13 Standard or source International Trade Administration 13
Category Cargo and customs ACID Plain definition The ACI identification number an Egyptian importer receives. The French customs note says it has 19 digits and is valid for three months 12 ,13 Standard or source French customs note and International Trade Administration 12 ,13
Category Cargo and customs Single window (Nafeza) Plain definition One online portal for foreign trade steps. In Egypt, Nafeza handles documents, inspections and payment of duties 12 Standard or source French customs note 12
Category Cargo and customs Blockchain document exchange Plain definition An online platform where exporters send shipping documents to Egypt. The French customs note names CargoX as the service provider 12 Standard or source French customs note 12
Category Cargo and customs E-token Plain definition An electronic signature token that Egyptian importers and brokers need to use Nafeza. The note gives EGP 1,000 for the first issue 12 Standard or source French customs note 12
Category Cargo and customs Electronic cargo tracking system Plain definition A system that follows transit cargo with electronic seals and GPS. Rwanda's regional system links it with Uganda and Kenya 16 Standard or source Coast Week, as reported 16
Category Cargo and customs E-seal Plain definition An electronic seal fitted to cargo. Rwanda's regional tracking e-seal has 60 days of power and reports over GPRS 16 Standard or source Coast Week, as reported 16
Category Cargo and customs Geo-fencing Plain definition Setting a fixed route on a map so the tracking system flags a truck that leaves it, as used in Rwanda's regional cargo tracking 16 Standard or source Coast Week, as reported 16
Category Cargo and customs e-Permit Plain definition An online residence permit service. HID Global says Tanzania added it to its e-Immigration programme in 2019 14 Standard or source HID Global company statement 14
Category Travel permission Pre-enrolment Plain definition The online first step of the Cote d'Ivoire e-visa, before fingerprints and a photo are taken at Abidjan airport 17 Standard or source Ministry of Economy and Finance note 17
Category Travel permission Laissez-débarquer Plain definition The approval from Cote d'Ivoire's DST that a traveller shows on arrival to collect a biometric visa 17 Standard or source Ministry of Economy and Finance note 17
Category Travel permission Border pass (jeton) Plain definition A pass for residents near Rwanda's frontier for daily cross-border movement under bilateral or regional agreements 22 Standard or source Rwanda immigration directorate 22
Category Travel permission Automated passenger clearance Plain definition Rwanda's e-gates at Kigali airport, where a passport scan opens one gate and a fingerprint the second, as reported in 2012 15 Standard or source The New Times, as reported 15
Category Border control ABC kiosk Plain definition Automated border control kiosk. At Dakar's Blaise Diagne airport, passengers complete police formalities without contact with an officer, as reported 21 Standard or source Ndarinfo, as reported 21
Category Border control EAC e-passport Plain definition The East African Community passport with a biometric chip. Tanzania issued it from 31 January 2018, as reported 19 Standard or source ITWeb Africa, as reported 19
Category Identity and biometrics API and PNR deep-dive Plain definition A CTED assessment of a state's capacity to use API and PNR data. Cote d'Ivoire had one from 2 to 8 June 2020 18 Standard or source UN Counter-Terrorism Committee 18
Category Standards Build-operate-transfer (BOT) Plain definition A contract where a company builds and runs a system before handing it over. A 2013 trade article described a five-year BOT for Senegal's visa stations 20 Standard or source Security World Market, as reported 20
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Notes ICAO Doc 9303, ICAO PKD, Annex 9 API and PNR terms are not yet in this glossary. The ICAO pages could not be read for this update. Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@africabordertechnology.com .
Sources Kenya High Commission, London: Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) (accessed 24 October 2026) Engineering News, Schalk Burger: DHA launches Electronic Travel Authorisation platform to boost tourism, curb corruption (13 August 2026) Parliamentary Monitoring Group: Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) progress, with Minister and Deputy Minister (25 August 2020) Parliamentary Monitoring Group: Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) Forensic Investigation Report, with Ministry (25 May 2021) Thales (company statement): Ghana's e-Immigration solution, Controlling borders to shape a bright future (undated, accessed 24 October 2026) Ethiopian News Agency via AllAfrica: Ethiopia: IOM Hails Ethiopia's MIDAS Upgrade As Key Tool Against Human Trafficking (8 December 2025) Finances News Hebdo: Maroc: lancement à partir du 10 juillet de la procédure d'octroi du visa électronique (8 July 2022) Embassy of Ethiopia, London: Ethiopia launches e-visa service to all international visitors (undated, service from 1 June 2018) Ghana News Agency, Godwill Arthur-Mensah: Veep Bawumia unveils E-Gates at KIA, Ghanaians to enter country with Ghana Card (3 December 2024) Parliamentary Monitoring Group: Allegations of corruption against GPW Acting CEO, with Ministry and Update on EOH, ABIS and VFS contracts (2 June 2020) Maroc.ma (MAP): Aéroport Mohammed V : Le double contrôle remplacé par des portillons automatiques (ONDA) (17 March 2025) Direction générale des douanes, customs attaché office in Dubai: Nouvelle loi douanière en Égypte, mise en place du advanced cargo information système et le guichet unique Nafeza (24 June 2021) International Trade Administration: Egypt Import Requirements & Documentation (last published 21 November 2025) Silicon Trust, Steve Atkins, source HID Global (company statement): Tanzania Selects HID for e-Visa and Residence Permit Services in e-Immigration Program (29 April 2019) The New Times, Times Reporter: Rwanda launches automated passenger clearance (20 May 2012) Coast Week via TradeMark Africa: Rwanda launches new Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (27 March 2017) Ministère de l'Économie et des Finances, Conférence internationale Ease of Doing Business 2018: Informations essentielles relatives au visa d'entrée en Côte d'Ivoire (26 to 28 November 2018) UN Counter-Terrorism Committee: CTED leads two virtual deep-dive assessment missions to Côte d'Ivoire and Botswana (undated, missions June and July 2020) ITWeb Africa, Staff Writer: Tanzanians rush online for e-passports (7 January 2020) Security World Market: New Senegal visa with integrated biometrics (28 October 2013) Ndarinfo: AIBD : de nouvelles installations d'équipements pour des formalités automatiques (14 June 2024) Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration, Rwanda: Border Services (undated, read 24 October 2026) 