1. A method of verifying an age of a bearer of a document, the document comprising auxiliary data steganographically embedded in the document, wherein the auxiliary data comprises at least an age indicator and a biometric indicator, said method comprising the steps of: receiving first digital data corresponding to the age indicator; receiving second digital data corresponding to the biometric indictor; receiving third digital data corresponding to a biometric sample, wherein the biometric sample corresponds to the bearer; and verifying the bearer's age when: i) the first digital data indicates that the bearer is at least as old as a predetermined age, and ii) the second digital data and the third digital data correspond.