1. A system for automatically verifying the identity of a predetermined individual who is a member of a first set of individuals, and who is not a member of a second set of individuals, said system comprising: a) master set apparatus acquiring a set of images, one from each individual member of said second set of individuals, and generating, by means of a first algorithm, a master set of principal component image signatures; b) enrollment apparatus having a copy of said master set in a first computer memory, said enrollment apparatus acquiring an enrollee image of the predetermined individual, generating, by means of a second algorithm, from said enrollee image and said master set, a set of identification parameters and storing said set of identification parameters in an escort memory associated with the predetermined individual; c) automatic verification station apparatus having a copy of said master set in a second computer memory, said automatic verification station apparatus acquiring a current image of a bearer of said escort memory, generating, by means of said second algorithm, from said current image and said master set, a current set of verification parameters, reading said stored set of identification parameters from said escort memory and comparing, by means of a third algorithm, said identification parameters with said verification parameters, and verifying that the bearer is the predetermined individual if the identification parameters differ from the verification parameters by less than a predetermined amount.