NFC RFID reading of passport fails

Help Fairphone 4
1

Hi,

I urgently need to apply for my US visa ESTA.
They made me use the mobile app.

RFID reading of my passport fails again and again, with a very short display of an error message
“secure messaging not activated”.

What do I need to do?

NFC is activated.
There is a vibration, and the app says reading RFID, then falis.

2

Which Fairphone do you have?

3

Welcome!

Which phone are you using? From your profile I assume the FP4?
Did you ever manage to read any RFID tag before?

4

Yes, I’m using the FP4.

It has worked on reading my ID card for Ausweis App.

5

Is there any way to activate secure messaging with NFC?

I don’t find any such control.

6

I tried again. It read, and put out an error “failed smart card” this time.

Does that give a clue?

7

Now managed to read the full message now:
“LAYER6: secure messaging not activated”

Any clue?

8

Meanwhile, when googling for that full error message, I see multiple German passport holders complaining that RFID reading always fails.

It looks like I cannot use the ESTA mobile app then :(.

Hope I find another way that works …

9

You can just use the online application and upload a picture.

10

Good ol’ German IT… :disappointed:

1 Like
11

Please delete “Good”.

1 Like
12

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