BELIEVE it or not, but some people have a huge problem with remembering to bring their passport with them when they go on holiday.
The document is arguably the most important item anyone would need for a flight, yet travellers regularly turn up at the airport without it.
GettyPassports could soon be digital instead of physical documents[/caption]
Luckily for those scatterbrained holidaymakers, physical documents may soon become a thing of the past, with a trial currently ongoing that could see them scrapped.
Cross-border digital IDs are currently being put through their paces for the first time, with a view to potentially ditching passports in the future.
Since August 28, 2023, border guards in Finland have been working with a system called Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) at Helsinki Airport.
Between now and February 2024, Finns can download the FIN DTC pilot app on their smartphones and take part in the trial.
They are also required to register with local police and send them their data before they fly.
The trial is only open to Finnish citizens on Finnair flights between Helsinki Airport and London, Edinburgh and Manchester.
Participants still need to take their physical passports with them to enter and exit the UK at the other side.
However, it’s a clear indication that people are at least interested in exploring the idea of having digital passports instead of physical ones.
Raja, the Finnish border guards, claim that digital passports and physical passports are “equally reliable”, and the new DTCs will allow “smooth and fast border crossings without compromising security”.
The scheme is all part of plans put in place by the European Union to have at least 80 per cent of its citizens flying with DTCs by 2030.
Further trials are set to take place at Croatia’s Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport and the Netherlands’ Schiphol Amsterdam Airport.
It’s not the only new system being put in place by the EU either, with Brits set to be subject to a new entry/exit system.
The system was due to begin from the end of last year, but has since been pushed back twice.
It will replace the stamping of passports when entering and leaving countries within the EU.
Each person’s name, biometric data and the date and place of entry and exit will be checked.
Brits will also need to have a ‘visa-waiver’ to go on holiday to countries in Europe called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).
The ETIAS will be similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) required to visit the US.
It applies to countries in the Schengen Area – the 26 European states include popular hotspots such as France, Spain, Greece and Portugal.
It will cost will cost €7 (£6.10) and lasts for three years or until your passport expires.
There is no clear date for the implementation of the ETIAS scheme, although it is expected to be announced by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, this simple passport mistake forced a family to pay an extra £5,000 to save their holiday.
And travel experts have warned Brits about these lesser-known passport rules.
GettyThe trial is currently available for Finnish travellers on certain flights to the UK[/caption]