IDEAS: Finland Set to Trial World First Digital Travel Document

The Finnish Border Guard will allow passengers on selected Finnair flights to and from the UK to pass through border control at Helsinki Airport using new Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) from 28 August 2023.

The pilot project forms part of a reported world first pilot program, which has been launched in cooperation with Finnair, the Finnish Police and Finavia.

DTC is a digital version of a physical passport, and according to a release from the Finnish Border Guard, is 'equally reliable and will allow smooth and fast border crossings without compromising security.'

Passengers flying with Finnair on the London, Manchester and Edinburgh routes will now be able to pass through border control by registering as a voluntary DTC user and use it at border control when leaving and/or arriving in Finland.

The European Commission is developing the DTC as part of a larger digital identity policy package, with the European Union committing €2.3 million to co-fund the project.

The pilot will run at Helsinki Airport from Monday 28 August 2023 until the end of February 2024.

You can register as a DTC user at the police service points in Tikkurila or at Helsinki Airport by following the instructions on the Finnish Border Guard's website.