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."

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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