System and method for authorizing limited access

A system for authorizing access comprising:

• a personal identification card having a first and a second data storage medium, said first medium capable of being written with data indelibly written, said second medium capable of being written repeatedly;
• a verification terminal having means for acquiring random biometric information from a person, for indelibly writing said first medium with said random biometric identification information, for subsequently reading said random biometric information of said first medium, for comparing said random biometric identification information read from said first medium with that of a possessor of said card, and for writing authorization data on said second data storage medium specifying limited access authorized in response to a favorable comparison;
• a database having means for storing said random biometric identification information;
• and
• a plurality of local checkpoint terminals in communication with said database and having means for reading said authorization data and for reading said random biometric information of said first medium and for comparing said random biometric information read from said first medium with that of a possessor of said card and that of a possessor of said card and in response to a favorable comparison, authorizing access in accordance with said authorization data.

A method for controlling access to a designated location comprising:

• acquiring random biometric information from an individual and recording said random biometric information indelibly on a card;
• comparing said random biometric information recorded on said card with subsequently acquired random biometric information of an individual possessing said card at a verification terminal;
• writing authorization data on said card if said comparison is favorable at said verification terminal;
• and
• comparing random biometric identification information retrieved from an individual with said indelibly recorded information and authorizing individual access in accordance with said authorization data upon a favorable comparison at a checkpoint terminal.