WILLEMSTAD - As part of the 'Plan of Action for Strengthening Border Control,' the Curaçao Police Force has launched the 'Falsidesk' project at Hato Airport. Falsidesk is responsible for investigating documents suspected of being false. This includes not only passports but also any other document that needs to be verified as officially issued. 

The Falsidesk department falls under the Alien Supervision & Border Control Unit of the Police Force. Within this department, an expert from the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (KMar) with DOC 3 certification works, assisted by local colleagues with DOC 2 certification. Currently, there are seven immigration colleagues in Curaçao who have successfully completed the DOC 2 course. 

DOC 2 and DOC 3 are certification levels within a specific training program for document control, primarily focused on recognizing and verifying false documents such as passports, visas, and other identification papers. 

DOC 2 is intended for personnel who regularly need to check documents, such as immigration officers, police officers, customs officers, and other enforcers. DOC 3 is for experts who specialize in document control and often operate in a supervisory or coordinating role within their organization. 

The Falsidesk team consists of specially trained individuals who can identify signs of forgery in travel documents. They use advanced technology and investigative techniques to verify the authenticity of passports, visas, and other necessary travel documents. This includes checks on the physical characteristics of the document, such as holograms, watermarks, and ink, as well as comparisons with international databases to verify travel information. 

For travelers, Falsidesk provides extra security by ensuring that those entering the island use legitimate documents. For immigration authorities, Falsidesk is a valuable tool to prevent and detect attempts at illegal travel, thereby protecting our borders and maintaining national security. 

Additionally, Falsidesk serves as a point of cooperation between various authorities, including police, customs, and international organizations, to ensure that efforts are coordinated and effective. In 2025, Curaçao plans to send a person to the Netherlands to participate in the DOC 3 course, so that Curaçao will also have a local expert.