A biometrically authenticated access control in which a wireless authentication signal is provided from a primary instrumentality of access, only after a dual-stage biometric verification of the user's identity is performed. In one embodiment, an accessing device includes memory for storing a device identification code and an authentication code, along with first and second biometric templates corresponding to biometric samples from a user. In another embodiment, an accessing device includes memory for storing a device identification code and more than one authentication code, for separate users, along with first and second biometric templates corresponding to biometric samples from multiple users. In order to gain access to a secured resource, a user undergoes first and second biometric sampling to generate biometric data to be compared with the first and second biometric templates.