Passports of tomorrow will be virtual

The document of dreams, a passport, has undergone many transformations. From simple hand-written booklets to biometric-enabled, machine-readable documents, passport across the world are poised for a dramatic shift. 

Experts feel that a physical document may not even be required in the future. A combination of biometric information and national identity numbers could effectively be the new passport for crossing international borders. 

This transition is happening in phases, though at a rapid pace. The first big shift is the move to chip-enabled e-passports. An e-passport is a document with an electronic chip embedded in a page. This chip keeps information such as the holder’s name, date of birth, and other related information. The chip has a unique identification number and digital signature. The global e-passport market size was valued at $24.57 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $125.13 billion by 2028, according to Allied Market Research.

So far countries are using a varied mix of information on the e-passport. These include fingerprint, retina scan and face recognition options. In the future most of these biometrics could be standardised and made common across all countries. 

A combination of biometric information and national identity numbers could effectively be the new passport for crossing international borders.

The next step for passports will go beyond the physical document to a digital identity-based system. Digital wallet ID using blockchain and related technologies are being tried out in various projects. According to a research note by the French group Thales, much of gate-keeping activity is done even before entering an airport terminal. A traveller will use a biometric on a digital ID wallet to create a Digital Travel Credential, which is then stored on a device.

“The technology works in real-time — with the token erased once the flight has taken off, ensuring absolute data privacy. Through automated biometric and document verification technologies, the process is simplified for both passengers, airports, and airlines, increasing efficiency, and providing integrated security too. All of this can create a complete self-service experience for passengers, which reduces processing times, including biometrics saving 30 per cent in boarding times,” says a Thales note.

Many countries have implemented versions of this near-future travel-tech solution. The International Air Travel Association (IATA) has been promoting the idea of One ID for a document-free travel process. “One ID introduces an opportunity for the passenger to further streamline their journey with a document-free process based on identity management and biometric recognition. Passengers will be able to identify themselves at each airport touchpoint through a simple biometric recognition,” IATA says.

This concept has been supported by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a UN body, though the final solution will need larger collaboration with regulators across the world. ICAO has also begun assessment and coordination between various governments and agencies to bring a global standard for digital documents. Countries like United Arab Emirates have introduced digital wallets as passports for certain categories of passengers. Other countries like Australia and New Zealand are rolling out experimental projects with virtual identity documents. 

Indian airports have already begun using face recognition as a boarding pass for domestic travel. Airport companies managing the terminals at Hyderabad, Delhi, Bengaluru and Kochi have joined the Digi Yatra initiative of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Two airlines, Vistara and Air Asia, have signed up for the initiative.

The Digi Yatra Biometric Boarding System is integrated with the identity document, and passengers will not have to show their physical documents. Several thousand passengers have used this voluntary facility. Soon this will be rolled out across airports in India. Once such systems mature for domestic travel, the leap to international travel for virtual passports will become easier.