New Delhi. Have you heard about digital passport? No… today we are going to give you information about it. Let us tell you that for the first time, a country is allowing travelers to cross the border with a digital passport available on their smartphone instead of a physical passport. This test has been done by Finland. Finland has become the first country in the world to launch a digital passport with the aim of making travel faster, easier and more secure.
The country began testing on August 28 in partnership with Finnair, Finnish police and airport operator Finavia. The Finnish Border Guard is conducting this test, which will be carried out at the border control of Helsinki Airport and will continue until February 2024. The EU wants at least 80% of citizens in the 27-nation bloc to use digital IDs by 2030.
What is digital passport?
Digital Travel Credential (DTC) is a digital version of a physical passport that can be easily downloaded and stored on a smartphone. It follows the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization, which is working on a global framework for digital travel documents. For the first time in the world, DTC is being tested in Finland. Only Finnish citizens traveling on a Finnair flight between Finland and the UK will be eligible for testing.
How can I get it?
These digital travel documents have been issued for Finnish citizens traveling on Finnair flights to and from London, Manchester and Edinburgh. By the end of February 2024, a greater number of citizens will be able to pass through border control. Finnish citizens can obtain a digital passport by registering as a Voluntary Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) user and use the digital passport at border control to leave or arrive in Finland.
Benefits of digital passport?
The digital passport provides many conveniences for travelers as it reduces waiting times and queues at border controls. It can also improve security and privacy and prevent identity or document fraud. Experts say digital passports will ease the movement of people, save time at border inspections and make queues more fluid.
Are digital passports different from e-passports?
Digital passports are different from e-passports, which are already in use in more than 100 countries, including India. An e-passport is a chip-enabled passport that contains a biometric identity card to enhance security and improve the level of identity verification. Whereas digital is a form of physical passport, which can be carried on a smartphone. There is no need to carry a physical passport.
