Mar 4, 2024, 2:35 pm EST
Bianca Gonzalez
Over the past few weeks, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has been testing a digital travel document that military police can use in place of passports to shorten lines for intercontinental travel, according to NOS.
At the request of the European Commission, the Netherlands is conducting the trial in partnership with Canada to test the digital travel credentials. Only those flying from Canada to the Netherlands with KLM are eligible to participate in the trial.
The two countries agreed to trial DTCs under the Known Traveller Digital Identity program, originally with Idemia, Vision-Box and Accenture as partners. The pilot was first confirmed in 2019 but was stalled in 2022 due to the effects of the pandemic on travel.
Travelers get invited by email to download an app in which they can upload a face photo and fill in passport information to serve as a decentralized ID. They must also answer questions about the purpose of their visit, whether or not they have the resources to stay in the country and whether they have somewhere to stay and a return flight.
Border control carries out an identity check before the traveler arrives. If the travelers’ responses are not consistent, they must still report to military police.
At the airport, travelers hold their passports against a border gate. If the passport matches the digital travel credential in the system, travelers can continue. Passengers must continue to carry their physical passports when traveling for this purpose.
The trials will continue until the end of March. It is expected to take years before digital travel credentials can be formally introduced.
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