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Finland trials world-first digital 'passport'

Finns participating in the trial will have access to a dedicated border control lane at Helsinki Airport.

Finns flying Finnair to or from the UK have the opportunity to be among the first in the world to trial the digital travel credential (DTC).

The Police of Finland invited Finns to participate in the trial by registering as voluntary users of the digital credential at police service points in Tikkurila or Helsinki Airport in Vantaa. The credential can be used at the airport by passengers on Finnair flights between Helsinki and London, Helsinki and Manchester, and Helsinki and Edinburgh.

A physical passport is still required to enter the UK, however.

Mika Hansson , chief superintendent at the National Police Board, revealed that passengers using the digital credentials have access to a dedicated border control line at Helsinki Airport . “They are able to proceed on their journey without queueing,” he said .

Essentially a digital version of a conventional passport, the digital credential is intended to make border controls smoother for passengers without compromising border security.

The first flight using a digital travel document was made on 1 September.

The European Commission and EU member states are developing the travel credential as part of a wider digital identity policy, with 2.3 million euros allocated for the pilot project led by the Finnish Border Guard. The pilot is believed to be the first in the world where the credential is trialled in a real border-control environment.

The Finnish Border Guard, is heading the project, which is also being trialled in Zagreb, Croatia.

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Finland Becomes the First Country to Allow Digital Passports

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At the end of August, Finland became the first country to allow digital passports when the Finnish Border Guard — which is kind of like U.S. Customs & Border Protection — launched the Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) pilot project. 

While other countries allow for ePassports and biometric tools, a digital passport is meant to replace a physical passport . Experts say the benefits allow for greater border protection and security while also automating identity verification and streamlining immigration inspection. 

As of Aug. 28, Finnish citizens can use a digital passport uploaded to their smartphone when traveling on Finnair flights to and from the United Kingdom, specifically the cities of London, Manchester, and Edinburgh. Then, beginning sometime in the fall, DTC documents will also be acceptable when traveling on Finnair flights to Croatia’s Zagreb International Airport.

According to the Finnish government, the project is a €2.3 million collaborative effort between the Finnish and Croatian governments. The goal is to collect data for the European Union’s extensive policy package on digital identity. The project is scheduled to end in February 2024. 

Daniel Terrill is a writer, editor, and journalist. He covers the outdoors and travel. In the past, he was the managing editor at Guns.com, the commerce editor at Task & Purpose, a police officer, a Marine, and perhaps the most dangerous job of all, a substitute teacher. You can contact him at [email protected].

This Country Just Became the First to Introduce Digital Passports

Could physical passports soon be replaced by an app this pilot program aims to find out..

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Finland is offering a glance into what the future of international travel might look like.

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Finland is changing the way it handles border security—specifically by doing away with physical passports.

The Finnish Border Guard announced on August 28 that it had rolled out a pilot program allowing passengers on select flights to go through border control using what’s called Digital Travel Credentials (DTC). Rather than queuing to have their passports manually checked by the Border Guard, participating Finnish travelers can scan an app on their phone at designated checkpoints.

“The DTC is a digital version of the physical passport and is equally reliable. It allows smooth and fast border crossings without compromising security,” the announcement from the Finnish Border Guard states . “The European Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, is developing the DTC as part of a broad digital identity policy package that includes a number of digital services.”

During the trial period, which runs until February 2024, the digital passport will only work on Finnair flights between Finland’s Helsinki Airport and three U.K. airports: Edinburgh, London, and Manchester.

How the digital passports work

Any Finnish citizen can enroll in the trial program; however, some legwork is involved. To participate, Finnish citizens must first download the FIN DTC app, which the Finnish Border Guard developed, and then visit a police service point to complete the registration, which involves signing a consent form and having a photo taken to be used for facial recognition. The process only needs to be done one time, though.

Once registered, travelers will upload their travel information to the app between 36 and 4 hours before their flight, which will then be submitted to the Finnish Border Guard. Still, according to the Finnish Border Guard, it should help passengers get through security quicker, which is especially helpful at a time when travelers are going to Europe in record numbers . When travels physically go through border control, they just need to scan a code on app.

Other trial programs outside of Finland

Another DTC trial program is slated to start in Croatia’s Zagreb International Airport later this year, though no official dates have been announced. Both programs are being funded by the European Union Commission.

The trial programs are among the ways that border security in the European Union is working towards a more digital future. At some point in 2024, the EU anticipates launching a new entry requirement called the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) . It’s a travel authorization to enter 30 European countries (the 27 in the Schengen Area, plus Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania) that is good for three years or whenever your passport expires, whichever comes first. The launch of ETIAS will be facilitated in part by Europe’s forthcoming Entry/Exit System (EES), a tech-driven process that will keep track of visitors as they cross borders.

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Finland Is Testing the World's First Digital Passport Screening

By Taryn White

Just like airline boarding passes and public transit tickets, our passports might soon make the leap to our personal devices—and turn our beloved stamp collections into a relic of the past.

While the concept of digital passports isn't entirely new, the full digitization of passports is, and Finland —which conveniently boasts the world’s third most powerful passport —is at the forefront of this technological revolution: In August, the Nordic nation launched the world's first digital passport pilot program, which is set to run until February 2024. During the trial, Finnish passengers flying with Finnair, the flag carrier, can use their smartphones instead of their physical passports at border control, going both to and from London , Edinburgh , and Manchester, U.K.

In addition to Finnair, the Finnish Border Guard also collaborated with airport operator Finavia and the Finnish police to initiate the program, which debuted at Helsinki Airport. It’s straightforward: Passengers must first download the FIN DTC app—the latter is short for Digital Travel Credential—then register, sign a consent form, and have their photograph taken by the police for facial recognition purposes. They’re then able to store their DTC, essentially a digitized passport, on their phone. Once registered, passengers have a window—between 36 and four hours prior to their flight—to upload their travel information into the app. According to the Finnish Border Control, the DTC is as “equally reliable” as a physical passport.

Finland's new digital passports are a boon for efficiency, both for passengers and airports: they're cloud-based, entirely eliminating the need to carry a physical document. Instead of standing in line to have their passports manually checked by a border agent, travelers can simply scan an app on their smartphone at designated checkpoints. A border agent then compares the passenger’s photo taken at the airport with the DTC photo taken when they registered with the police—et, voilà.

Charting the evolution of passports

The concept of a passport has existed in some form for at least 800 years; the earliest example is thought to date back to the 13th-century Mongol Empire, during the days of Genghis Khan. However, the idea of a standardized global passport is relatively recent, having emerged about a century ago, in 1920, following the end of World War I. The League of Nations, the predecessor to the United Nations, seeking ways to identify an immigrant’s country of origin, control the flow of people, and prevent another global conflict, introduced the standard.

Over time, of course, the document has shifted shape. In 1998, Malaysia became the first country to issue an electronic passport, or e-passport—a traditional passport by all accounts, save for the microchip embedded in the back cover that contains biometric information. Then, in 2003, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted machine-readable travel document (MRTD) specifications for passports to include an embedded microchip that holds personal data and a photo of the passport holder. That was followed, in 2004, by Belgium's issuance of the ICAO-compliant electronic passport; the U.S. followed suit in 2006. Today, more than 160 countries employ electronic passports. But with the introduction of the digital passport, the future of travel may not involve physical passports at all.

The pros—and cons—of digital passports

There are a few key benefits of digital passports—namely convenience, and the streamlining of the travel process by reducing wait times at border control. Whereas traditional passport checks, including e-passports with biometric chips, can take minutes, the verification process of digital passports can be completed in mere seconds. They also eliminate travelers’ risk of having their passports lost or stolen, an inconvenient and costly endeavor that requires an emergency passport to be issued—which, according to the US Department of State website, can take an average of 10- to 13 weeks, with standard processing.

On the flip side, privacy and global governance are among the key concerns with implementing this new technology. However, Stephen J. Wright, aviation expert and professor of aircraft systems at Tampere University in Finland, believes the security risks posed by the new technology are quite small—in part because Finland uses national identification numbers that are electronically linked with a citizen’s identity and mobile phone number.

Wright, who has recently experienced a malfunctioning chip in his U.K. electronic passport, says that one disadvantage of digital passports is “what happens when the technology malfunctions.” He adds that the cost to implement these systems can also be a disadvantage, as “technology sometimes is not a cheap replacement for real humans doing duties such as guarding the border.”

It's near-impossible to rule out the potential vulnerability of these types of digital documents to hacking and counterfeiting, similar to what transpired during the pandemic, as fake COVID-19 vaccine passports circulated. However, according to Wright, any digitized border control system should include a fail-safe process design that will send a passenger in question to a border agent for additional checks.

So, what does this mean for the future of travel?

Finland is the first—but not the only—country embracing this technological shift. Croatia is planning a similar pilot program this fall, with the Netherlands set to follow it. Each country’s pilot program is being co-funded by the European Union, which has set an ambitious target of 2030 to get at least 80 percent of citizens in the EU to use a digital identity to access key public and private services, ranging from electronic health records to bicycle rentals. The results of the pilot programs in the trio of countries will inform the potential for the future deployment of digital passports throughout the E.U.

Europe already has several related initiatives underway. In 2014, the EU began its journey towards digital unification by establishing the eIDAS Regulation, which stipulates the admissibility of electronic signatures, and has plans to implement the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) in 2024; the cloud-based authorization system will require American passport holders as well as citizens from more than 60 visa-exempt countries to obtain travel authorization before entering the Schengen countries , in addition to Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania. The new ETIAS requirement aims to improve the efficiency of border management and keep track of visitors from visa-exempt countries and will be facilitated by the new Entry/Exit System (EES), a tech-enabled program designed to monitor movement across Europe's borders.

Beyond passports, there's also potential to apply this technology to everything from paperless visas to digital driver’s licenses. Similar passport digitization initiatives are taking place in Poland, South Korea, Australia, the U.K., and the U.S., and while it’s unclear what the future holds, ultimately, the transition to digital passports will be a gradual process, requiring collaboration between governments, institutions, technology providers, and the public.

As we move towards a future where our smartphones can serve as our passports, will our beloved passport stamps go the way of digitization or simply become obsolete? The answer isn’t certain—but it’s clear that the evolution of these little blue, red, black, and green booklets is far from over.

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This European Country Is Testing a Digital Passport System — What to Know

Passengers on select flights to and from Finland's Helsinki Airport will be allowed to quickly pass through border control using what the country is calling "Digital Travel Credentials."

Miemo Penttinen - miemo.net/Getty Images

Passports have officially gone digital this week in Finland .

In a pilot program launched Monday, passengers on select flights will be allowed to quickly pass through border control using Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) instead of waiting in line to show their passports, the Finnish Border Guard announced.

To participate, travelers need to pre-register as a volunteer for the program, and then can use it on both the departure and arrival at the Helsinki airport making it the first time a digital passport will be accepted “in a real border control environment, reportedly for the first time in the world,” the Finnish Border Guard said.

As a test project with Finnair , the Finnish police, and the nation’s airport company Finavia , fliers must be Finnish citizens traveling on Finnair flights to one of three UK destinations: London, Edinburgh, or Manchester. 

While the digital passport will help fliers speed through the airport, it does require some time investment ahead of the flight. Interested volunteers need to start by downloading the FIN DTC Pilot app on in the Apple App Store or on Google Play , making sure their phone’s screen-lock function is activated via PIN, face recognition, or fingerprint before installation.

Then, before their first flight, they need to register with the Finnish police at Vantaa Main Police Station's license services. Citizens need to bring their valid passports, which will be used to create the DTC, and a photo will be taken to use for facial recognition. They’ll also be asked to sign a consent form.

Finally, before each flight, travelers will need to send their data through the app 36 to four hours before each flight.

After those steps are checked off, travelers can then use DTC at Helsinki airport when they leave using border control line 21 and return using line 19. There, they’ll place their passport on the reader while the border guard checks their photos. Program volunteers will still need to follow the instructions of local authorities in the UK.

“The DTC is a digital version of a physical passport and is equally reliable,” the Finnish Border Guard said in a statement. “It allows smooth and fast border crossings without compromising security.”

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Finland tests digital passports in world-first trial

Finnish physical passports. Photo: Santeri Viinamäki

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Finnish travelers flying from Helsinki to select destinations in the UK can now utilise a Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) system as an alternative to physical passports. This groundbreaking pilot initiative is run by the Finnish Border Control in partnership with Finnair, the Finnish police, and airport operator Finavia. This is the first real-world implementation of a digital passport in a border control environment, signifying a notable shift in global travel documentation and procedure.

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.

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This European country is testing the world’s first digital passports

Apparently, the ‘digital travel credentials’ are just as reliable as the classic paper version

We’re always looking for ways to make international travel more convenient, to avoid the dreaded long queues and (metaphorically) fly through all the various checks as seamlessly as possible. So here’s something cool: Finland has launched its first trial of ‘digital travel credentials’ or DTCs – essentially a passport on your phone.

The pilot scheme is running in Helsinki  as a partnership between Finnair , airport operator Finavia and the Finnish police. It’s only available to Finnish people, and flights to London , Edinburgh and Manchester at the end of August mark the start of the pilot. 

While these trials are the first time digital passports will be accepted in a real border control environment, it’s not just Finland who are testing the method. The European Commission reached out to various countries last year, and after Croatia volunteered, a similar pilot will take place in Zagreb later in 2023.

So, how do they actually work? Well, Finns who want to volunteer have to register with the Finnish police. They need to download an app to their smartphone and book an appointment at the police station in Vantaa, near Helsinki Airport.

Volunteers will need to take a physical copy of their passport, sign a consent form, and have another photo of themselves taken. Once all that’s done, the DTCs can be used either on flights from Helsinki Airport to the UK, or on direct Finnair flights to Helsinki Airport. Oh, and those participating are required to send their data to the Finnish Border Guard between 36 and four hours before they fly, via the app. 

There are separate lines set up for volunteers at passport control in Helsinki, and their photo will be compared to the DTC photo taken during registration. Volunteers will then need to place their passport on a separate reader, look into the camera, and be cleared. After all that, you’re through. 

The Finnish Border Guard claims that these digital passports allow ‘smooth and fast border crossings without compromising security,’ and are just as reliable as physical passports. 

Once we know more about how these trials have fared, it’s up to the European Commission to propose an EU-wide rollout of digital passports. So it’s early days – but this sounds a lot like the future of travel.

Did you see that passports may one day be replaced by human heartbeats ?

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IDEAS: Finland Set to Trial World First Digital Travel Document

Adam Stacey , Skift

September 5th, 2023 at 4:30 PM EDT

The Finnish Border Guard will allow passengers on selected Finnair flights to and from the UK to pass through border control at Helsinki Airport using new Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) from 28 August 2023.

The pilot project forms part of a reported world first pilot program, which has been launched in cooperation with Finnair, the Finnish Police and Finavia.

DTC is a digital version of a physical passport, and according to a release from the Finnish Border Guard, is ‘equally reliable and will allow smooth and fast border crossings without compromising security.’

Passengers flying with Finnair on the London, Manchester and Edinburgh routes will now be able to pass through border control by registering as a voluntary DTC user and use it at border control when leaving and/or arriving in Finland.

The European Commission is developing the DTC as part of a larger digital identity policy package, with the European Union committing €2.3 million to co-fund the project.

The pilot will run at Helsinki Airport from Monday 28 August 2023 until the end of February 2024.

You can register as a DTC user at the police service points in Tikkurila or at Helsinki Airport by following the instructions on the Finnish Border Guard’s website .

Skift Ideas   uncovers the most creative and forward-thinking innovations happening across travel. We celebrate innovation through our Skift  IDEA Awards  and hear from leaders on our Ideas podcast.

You can listen and subscribe to the Skift Ideas Podcast through your favorite podcast app  here .

Tags: air travel , airport security , helsinki , travel technology

Finland launches first EU digital ID travel route with UK, Croatia

Passengers flying from Helsinki to Croatia and the United Kingdom can now show a digital ID instead of an ID card or passport.

Finland’s pilot of digital travel credentials began August 28, allowing passengers on Finnair to London, Edinburgh and Manchester to pass through border control using their phone.

Croatia is also participating in the pilot at the border checkpoints of Zagreb International Airport this fall.

The project is limited to border control at Helsinki’s Vantaa Airport. Passengers will need to download an app, register with the police using their passports and take a selfie.

Digital credentials were slated for a pilot on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flights between the Netherlands and Canada, also under the EU Commission, which is funding the new €2.3 million (US$2.4 million) project.  The service, similar to this pilot , was first discussed in 2018. It was to debut, unknowingly, right before Covid shut down global travel. That was a biometrics and blockchain service called Known Traveler Digital ID and addressed transportation between the Netherlands and Canada.

The European Commission is also working on a digital Schengen visa that will require collecting biometrics for first-time applicants.

The Finnish project is a cooperative venture with the Border Guard, Finnair, the Finnish Police and Finnish airport company Finavia. Other partners include the Finnish Immigration Service and National Police Board, the Croatian Ministry of Interior and AKD, a Croatian ID company.

During Identity Week Europe in June, Mika Hansson, a senior adviser with the Finnish National Police Board, introduced several types of digital travel credentials, including the so-called type 3, which eliminates the need for any physical document to be carried by the passenger.

Article Topics

airports  |  biometrics  |  Croatia  |  digital ID  |  digital travel credentials  |  Finland  |  UK

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Finland is first to test digital passports: How this could change travel

Finland has begun a trial to replace physical passports. The Digital Travel Credential, the digital passport, is currently only valid for Finnish people flying on Finnair flights to and from the UK. Authorities believe that adopting this new technology will save time at border inspection

What if we told you that the next time you jet off for your holiday or business trip, your mobile could act as your passport? Finland is trying something new and if it works, there’s a big chance that digital passports will become a reality and people will soon be able to bid adieu to the physical form of a passport.

Here’s what we know about the world’s first digital passports and what benefits do they serve?

Finland goes digital

On 28 August, the Finnish Border Guard announced that it will be the first country across the globe to test digital travel documents.

The experiment, which will continue until February next year, is being carried out in partnership with Finnair, the Finnish police and airport company Finavia. As it is a trial, for now it is only valid for Finnish people flying on Finnair to or from London, Manchester and Edinburgh.

The Finnish Border Guard announced that those interested in signing up for the process will have to download the FIN DTC Pilot digital travel document app, register with the police and send data to the Finnish Border Guard four to 36 hours before a flight to the UK.

Authorities have clarified that a participant will only need to register with the police one and after registration, the person could travel to UK and return without any hassles.

Explaining further, the Finnish Border Guard noted that the digital passport, known as Digital Travel Credentials (DTC), is a digital version of the physical passport and is equally reliable.

It further said on its website, “Those who participate will have the opportunity to go through border control faster and more smoothly than usual without queuing.”

However, as of now, all participants will have to carry their physical passport and confirm their identity by scanning it on a reader when entering or leaving Finland as well as at UK border controls, the Finnish Border Guard clarified.

Commenting on the same, Mikko Väisänen, an inspector at the Finnish Border Guard, explained, “In the long run, the goal is to no longer need to carry a physical passport when travelling. However, its realisation takes time. The pilot project would only be the first step in this matter.”

The trial is a realisation of the European Commission’s dream of going high-tech. According to a report in Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat , the European Commission reached out at the end of last year to ask if the country would be willing to participate in the pilot project. The National has reported that the European Union is co-funding Finland’s pilot project, providing €2.3 million (Rs 21 crore).

There are reports that the trial will be extended to Croatia too in the autumn season at Zagreb International Airport.

Proponents of digital passports believe that the new technology will allow for easier movement of people and will save time at border inspection and make queues more fluid.

Christoph Wolff, Head of Mobility at the World Economic Forum, had said electronic, paperless systems could be key in helping manage demand. “By 2030, international air arrivals are expected to reach 1.8 billion passengers, up 50 per cent from 2016. Under today’s systems, airports cannot keep up with this growth,” he said, adding that digital identity technology could be the answer.

Digital passports across the globe

While Finland is already testing its new digital passport, Poland and South Korea are also working on similar projects in their respective countries.

The United States and the United Kingdom are also working on something similar. Interestingly, it was Ukraine in 2021 that became the first country in the world to give the same legal status to digital passports as physical ones. Ukrainians have been able to use their digital passports in a range of situations such as confirming their identity at the post office, confirming their age or opening a bank account for a few years. But last year they were also recognised when travelling into the country by plane or train.

When coronavirus struck the world two years ago, many countries adopted the COVID-19 passports , giving an impetus to the digital passport movement. Some experts had then believed that more countries would be ready to adopt digital credentials.

Karoli Hindriks, CEO of the Estonian immigration and relocation tech company Jobbatical, was quoted as telling Weforum.org that nationalism and nostalgia are barriers to the digitalisation of passports. “There’s always an uproar any time you touch national symbols like currency or passports. Someone told me that they liked their passport because of all stamps, like it was a photo album (of their journeys). I get it, but this doesn’t mean that we should travel like this.”

She further said that she believed that it would take just one nation to show the rest of the world that digitising passports can be done securely and equitably.

It’s important to note here that India in June announced that it too would get a version of a digital passport. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had announced in June that the country would be getting updated e-passports. The new passports, as per the Ministry of External Affairs, will be equipped with a chip that will store the holder’s biometric data, including their fingerprints and photograph. This will make the passports more difficult to forge and will help to improve security at international borders, said the spokesperson of the department.

With inputs from agencies

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Finland among first adopters of the digital passport in the EU

The pilot project, in collaboration with Finnair, the Finnish police, and airport operator Finavia, allows passengers to use a digital ID on their phones instead of physical passports.

Finland has launched a pilot project to test digital passports and Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) for Finnish citizens traveling from Helsinki to the UK . This trial allows passengers to present a digital ID on their smartphones instead of physical passports when going through border control. The Finnish Border Control claims this is the first time a digital passport has been accepted in a real border control environment. It aims to make the process faster and smoother. The project is collaborative between Finland, Finnair, the Finnish police, and airport operator Finavia.

Citizens can download the Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) on their smartphones from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. The service requires end users to have some form of second-tier cybersecurity feature installed on their device, including a PIN or biometric locking method. They must also register with the police at Vantaa Main Police Station’s license services and are expected to use the app to input their data to the Finnish Border Guard 36 to 4 hours before traveling. The service is currently being piloted at the airport.

Why does it matter?

Findings from these trials are expected to inform the European Commission’s broader program geared towards digitalizing travel. A successful implementation of this trial could pave the way for the broader adoption of digital passports across the European Union, enhancing travel technology and efficiency.

About author

The GIP Digital Watch Observatory team, consisting of over 30 digital policy experts from around the world, excels in the fields of research and analysis on digital policy issues. The team is backed by the creative prowess of Creative Lab Diplo and the technical expertise of the Diplo tech team.

Related topics

Related news, hack exposes indian police facial recognition data amid growing surveillance concerns, bulgaria to replace tickets with biometric access system ‘rock’, border chaos looms as app delayed for uk-eu entry system, uk’s data protection bill sparks controversy, kenya aims to issue 3 million digital ids and 1 million biometric passports, maryland passes law regulating facial recognition use by law enforcement.

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Finland expands digital travel testing network

Finland has been at the forefront of testing Digital Travel Credentials (DTC), making it the first country in the world to explore this innovative approach.These digital travel documents are designed to enhance convenience and efficiency for travellers. 

Key points to note about Digital Travel Document testing

The following are the key points to note about Digital Travel Document and its testing before we discuss its expansion.

• What Are Digital Travel Documents?

Digital travel documents are virtual credentials derived from traditional passports which serve as exact replicas of the electronic machine-readable travel documents (eMRTDs) . Its Key components include the holder’s facial image , biographical data , and security features

• Finland’s Pioneering Efforts

Finland launched digital travel document testing in August 2023, initially limited to select flights and locations. The testing, now expanded to 19 additional locations, continues until March 31, 2024 , showcasing Finland's dedication to advancing travel technology for enhanced citizen experience and global interoperability.

The table below shows a summary of Finland's Digital Travel Document Testing Program

• How DTC Works

DTC is a digital format of the regular passport that ensures reliable security while allowing travellers to undergo airport procedures faster . The average inspection time for a digital travel document is less than ten seconds . Passengers experience a smooth entry process without compromising safety.

• Recognition and Expansion

Finland’s DTC was recognized by Time as one of the groundbreaking inventions in the “Apps and Software” category. Croatia is also testing digital travel documents to improve passenger experience. The project aims to facilitate travel and streamline border crossings for a more seamless journey

Expansion of Digital Travel Document

Finland has expanded its testing of Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) to 19 additional destinations beyond the initial routes. Previously, Finnish citizens could test digital travel documents only on Finnair flights to and from London, Manchester, and Edinburgh . 

Now, passengers travelling to or from the following destinations can also test their digital travel documents at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. The table below shows the 19 destinations; 

Destinations eligible for testing Finland's Digital Travel Document (DTC) at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport:

Advantages of DTC over the traditional paper passport

The digital travel document has a number of advantages over the traditional paper passport. 

• It is more secure . The information stored on the digital document is encrypted and cannot be easily accessed by unauthorised individuals.
• It is more convenient . Travellers will no longer need to worry about losing their passport or having it stolen.
• It is more environmentally friendly . The digital document does not require the use of paper or ink.

What does Finland's expanded testing network allow?

It enables travellers departing from 19 more global airports to take the mandatory COVID-19 tests digitally on arrival in Finland via automated facilities.

How does digital testing work for travellers?

Passengers enter Finland through automated border gates and get instructed to take the test in special digital booths and receive the results directly to their devices in about 4 hours.

Is digital testing mandatory for eligible travellers?

No, it remains voluntary. But it skips queues and waives test certificate requirements before boarding Finland-bound flights.

Which locations now have the digitised entry testing option?

Helsinki airport initially launched it. The addition of 19 intercontinental hubs like Delhi, Tokyo, LAX and DXB widens eligibility for more travellers.

Has expanding digital testing benefited passenger volumes?

Officials report passenger feedback, testing uptake and arrival numbers confirm the smoother entry experience is achieving a key goal of reviving tourism and business travel.

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Finland is trialling a digital passport on Finnair flights between Helsinki and three UK cities.

The Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) system is designed to accellerate and streamline the border check process.

Finnish passengers holding the electronic document on Finnair flights between London, Manchester and Edinburgh will be able to pass through Finland’s border control more efficiently without having to queue, police explained in a press release.

However, in order to enter the UK, users of the digital documents still need to bring their physical passports.

“At Helsinki Airport, a dedicated border control line has been reserved for testers, who can use it without queuing,”  Mika Hansson , a senior adviser at the National Police Board, said in the release.

The travel document is effectively a digital version of a physical passport and is part of a European Commission project. The DTC only applies to the border control in Helsinki Airport, travellers participating in the pilot still need to bring a physical passport for arrival in the UK.

The press release also said that the effort marks the first time digital travel documents will be tested at border controls.

The police have  invited  volunteers holding Finnish citizenship to take part in the pilot project.

The DTC pilot will run until the end of February 2024.

Source: Yle

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