Just last month, Finland took to temporarily suspending the Digital Travel Credentials or DTC border checks.
This was implemented for arriving and Finnish passengers both, at the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.
However, the country has now decided to open up DTC inspection lines once again for pilot use.
The Finnish Border Guard revealed this news in the previous week, saying that it would be resuming the testing of Digital Travel Documents from the 15th of December, 2023.
Now, another announcement has disclosed that these border checks are going to continue up to the 31st of March, 2024.
According to the Finnish Border Guard, the DTC inspection lines have been reopened in the same manner as before.
It added that people who have completed the registration can send the DTC information the same way as they did before.
Consequently, they will be able to use the lines without any hassle or challenges.
Finland
Finland landed at the top of the list among the countries that started testing digital travel documents.
In August of the current year, the relevant authorities took to launching the project.
As a result, all the Finns were allowed to register online and thus, get their digital documents tested when traveling to and from the airports in the country.
As of now, DTC from Finland is being tested by various citizens belonging to different countries but flying on Finnair flights.
These flights have mainly been flying to Manchester, Edinburgh, London, and the other way around.
Despite the document only being tested on limited routes for now, the Finnish Border Guard has stressed the importance of adding new destinations into the system.
Consequently, the relevant authorities will be including a couple of other locations on the list in the upcoming week.
DTC
DTC is simply a physical passport in digital format, and all Finns holding the document are able to make their way through border controls at a faster pace.
This entails that they are not required to wait for prolonged periods in lengthy queues.
During the testing period, the authorities noted that it takes only ten seconds for passengers to get their digital travel documents inspected.
As a result, all travelers are able to enjoy a smooth and streamlined experience.
However, the digital travel documents have not been a hit with everyone in the country.
Despite the repeated trials, various Finns are still hesitant to test out their digital travel documents.
The Finnish Border Guard has, thus, taken to assure the citizens that these documents are just as reliable as physical passports.
Border Guard
The Border Guard further highlighted that through the document, passengers will be able to enjoy a smooth and fast border crossing without having to compromise their own safety.
For the first time, DTC is being tested in a real border check. This led to Finland being recognized for its groundbreaking inventions.
Croatia has also now taken the initiative to test digital travel documents. The project was implemented by authorities in Croatia in the month of October to improve passenger experience.
