World’s First Digital Passport Tested

Finland is currently testing what it believes is the world’s first digital passport pilot program.

Finnish officials started the use of digital passports at Helsinki airport “to speed up border control procedures,” the Economic Times reports.

The “Digital Travel Credentials” scheme started on August 28th for direct Finnair flights from Helsinki to London, Edinburgh, and Manchester in the United Kingdom.

Finland tests digital passports at Helsinki airporthttps://t.co/loASAq5crY pic.twitter.com/v6lQ698hGq

— Wittgenstein (@backtolife_2023) September 21, 2023

Via the Economic Times:

The pilot project, which the Finnish Border Guard said it believed was a world first, “is a first step in how the future of travel might be,” border guard inspector Mikko Vaisanen told AFP.

Travellers wanting to take part have to first download a special DTC app on their smartphone.

They must then go in person to a Helsinki police station, where a digital version of their passport is created by scanning the enclosed chip.

They are also photographed to allow facial recognition at the airport.

Once the DTC has been loaded onto the passport, travellers must send their flight details to the Finnish Border Guard up to 36 hours – but no later than four hours – before their flight.

Digital passports are being tested in Finland

Based on facial recognition, tested on flights between Helsinki and the UK.#digitalization #passports #technologyhttps://t.co/DExpLS525p

— The Nordic Times (@nordictimes_com) September 17, 2023

Helsinki airport has set up a designated line at border control for travellers with a DTC.

The facial recognition technology at border control compares the picture each traveler takes at the police station now stored onto their passport chip.

“We have daily passengers travelling with DTC,” Vaisanen said.

The project, which runs until February 2024, received 2.3 million euros in funding from the European Commission.

The pilot program sounds like a biometric nightmare full of invasive surveillance.

Yet, many travellers will use the DTC because of convenience.

Helsinki Times reports:

Finnish citizens traveling to London, Edinburgh, or Manchester via Finnair can opt for the digital system by downloading the FIN DTC Pilot app. Before activation, users must ensure phone screen locks (PIN, fingerprint, or face ID) are in place. Following app installation, travelers register at the Vantaa Main Police Station, where their photo is captured for future facial recognition. Post-registration, travelers can use the DTC at Helsinki Airport on direct Finnair flights to the UK until February 2024. Data submission to the Finnish Border Guard is required 36 to 4 hours before flying. At the airport, special queues are set up for DTC users. Their identity is verified through a comparison between the DTC photo and the one taken during the registration process, supplemented by facial recognition technology.

Finland’s trial isn’t an isolated effort. It’s part of a wider EU initiative to enhance travel tech. The European Commission is currently assessing which member countries are keen on testing digital passports. Croatia has shown interest and plans to pilot a similar program at Zagreb Airport later this year. The outcomes from these trials will inform a potential EU-wide rollout of digital passports in the future.