1. A method for authenticating individuals comprising: capturing, by a communications device, biometric data from an individual after a displayed image of the biometric data is approximately aligned with a visual aid; applying, by the communications device, a transform to the captured biometric data; and generating, by the communications device, a biometric template from the transformed captured biometric data, the generated biometric template including biometric feature data that approximately aligns with biometric feature data included in a stored biometric template.