Croatia joins other EU nations in testing digital passports

ZAGREB - Croatia is also launching digital passports to get rid of the paper-based travel document aimed at facilitating travelers.

Croatian passport holders can currently use their digital credentials at Zagreb Airport though Finland, Canada, and the Netherlands are also exploring the option to introduce and implement paperless digital passports, which will streamline travel procedures. 

Using a mobile app, flyers can store and present their passport information on their smartphones instead of carrying a physical passport, which is also lost amid travel anxiety.

Another advantage offered by a digital passport is that it enables passengers to link any electronic visas and health documents. Digital passports are expected to become more common and popular in the future as they offer convenience and security for travelers. 

The authorities in Croatia have recently completed the development of the IT solution for the digital travel certificate and all interested citizens were offered the opportunity to be among the first to download a digital travel credential into a mobile application and explore what travelling will look like in the future.

“This pilot project, with which we enabled Croatian citizens to be among the first in the world to test the future of travel with a digital travel credential, represents a significant leap towards the modernization and facilitation of travel and the further digitization of administrative procedures both in Croatia and in the EU,” said Jure Sertić, head director of the Agency for Commercial Activities.

As of now, the service will be available on all Android phones, but the IOS version is expected by the end of the year. 

As the project develops, the number of border crossings and countries involved will grow until the digital travel credential becomes a universally accepted and standardized document for all EU citizens”, said project manager Ivan Brko.