Australia and US try to find three million lost passports

12.30pm

SANTIAGO, CHILE - Australia and the United States will trial a system to find up to three million passports missing across the Asia-Pacific region.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the system, if successful, would help in the fight to stop terrorists.

Under the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) regional movement alert list, border officials will be able to use computer databases to make immediate checks for missing or stolen passports.

Mr Downer said that with so many passports missing in the region there was a chance they could end up in the hands of undesirables or terrorists.

"We reckon there are currently two to three million lost or stolen passports in Apec countries which, of course, is an enormous number," he told reporters.

"Border officials will be able to check passenger movements against the records of lost and stolen passports using computer systems, and be able to check them almost instantly."

Mr Downer said new technology would enable the trial to quickly track down stolen or lost passports.

- AAP