In the last couple of days of August, the Border Guard of Finland announced that it will be the first country in the world to test the digital travel documents of travelers.

The Border Guard further revealed that all residents who are on Finnair flights and traveling to Edinburgh, Manchester, or London, will be permitted to avail this opportunity.

Consequently, they can easily test their digital travel documents. This will also mean that Finns will no longer have to wait around for longer periods and just get through the controls at a faster pace.

Testing begins

According to the Finnish Border Guard, this practice can begin from the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, without people having to wait in queues for hours at a time.

As of now, this facility is currently available to people arriving from different areas of Great Britain but will soon be permitted for everyone traveling to Finland.

It was further explained that in order to avail this service, people will have to register as voluntary users of all digital travel documents.

As a result, their registration numbers will allow them to digitally scan their travel documents when traveling to Finland or outside of it.

Digital Travel Credentials (DTC)

According to the Border Guard of Finland, the Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) or digital travel documents can only be scanned at the Helsinki airport.

Registrations also need to be made well in advance. For example, people registering in the early days of September can start testing their digital travel documents by the end of February 2024.

The Border Guard further explained what DTC was, saying that they are no different than any physical passport. Moreover, it added that this digital passport is just as reliable for traveling purposes across the globe.

However, other countries have yet to introduce this technology, which is why travelers can only avail this facility in Finland.

Where people have cited safety concerns, the Border Guard claimed that DTC is only another method of fast and smooth border crossing.

Furthermore, in its words, the digital travel documents are more secure and do not compromise on safety.

EU Commission

The development of the DTC in Finland comes shortly after the EU Commission expressed the need for a pilot project to be carried out.

It stressed that before the facility could be made available to the entire continent, it would need to be tested.

Consequently, the EU Commission could gather feedback and experiences and take steps accordingly.

After gathering the required and relevant information, the Commission will form a plan and present it to the rest of the countries.

It hopes to convince the others of the success of the project and ensure that the facility is implemented in all member states.

The pilot project in Finland is being funded by the EU Commission itself. The aim of the DTC facility is to ensure that travel becomes easier for people with an added layer of self-reliance.

If the project in Finland turns out to be successful, the people traveling to and from the member states of the EU will no longer have to carry physical travel documents.