EU Leads The Way In Travel Innovation: Digital App To Accelerate Border Crossings, Increase Security, And Offer Hassle-Free Entry For Millions Of Travelers

Published on November 29, 2025

The EU’s new digital travel app is set to streamline border crossings by allowing travelers to pre-submit their passport data before arrival. This will reduce wait times, enhance security, and improve efficiency, enabling border authorities to focus on higher-risk cases while ensuring a smoother entry process for travelers across the Schengen Area. By modernizing border control systems, the app offers a faster, more secure experience for millions of passengers.

Representatives from all 27 European Union member states have given the green light for the negotiation of a new regulation that aims to introduce a voluntary digital travel application. This proposed application, which is designed to be used by travelers entering the EU, would allow passengers to upload their passport information ahead of their arrival, enabling border authorities to pre-screen travelers and ultimately cut down on wait times at the borders.

The system is composed of three key components: a mobile app for travelers, a backend service to verify the identity data, and a secure router that connects to national border control systems. The mobile app will enable travelers to create a digital version of their passport or ID card, which they can submit in advance. While border officers will still perform physical checks of travelers’ IDs, having this key data beforehand will make the process more efficient.

The move to introduce the app comes at a time when border crossings in the EU continue to rise. In 2022 alone, EU authorities recorded approximately 593 million crossings at the external borders. With this increase in traffic, the primary goal of the new system is to reduce long queues at border control, improving efficiency for both travelers and border officials. This is particularly relevant as the EU has been ramping up the use of digital systems, including the recently introduced Entry/Exit System (EES), which began operation in October 2025.

The app’s functionality for travelers is simple and straightforward. Upon launch, passengers can use the mobile app to scan their identification documents and create a secure digital version. The app will verify the chip embedded in the passport or ID card to ensure the document hasn’t been tampered with and matches the traveler’s details. Once verified, travelers can submit the digital file to the relevant border authority before their travel date. Although border agents will still perform in-person checks, this early submission of data will speed up the process, allowing officials to focus on higher-risk individuals identified during pre-screening.

This app is part of a broader effort by the EU to modernize border management and incorporate cutting-edge technologies. The system is designed to work with other existing and future EU digital systems. For example, travelers using digital credentials may be able to pre-submit entry and exit information into the EES system, which launched in October 2025. Furthermore, the digital credentials could be integrated with the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), expected to become operational in 2026. This would allow travelers to use their digital documents when applying for travel authorization or short-stay visas.

One of the key benefits of the digital travel application is its potential to enhance security and reduce the risk of fraud. According to the Council’s announcement, the digital credentials will make it easier to verify the authenticity of travel documents, making it more difficult for fraudulent documents to be used to bypass border controls. The backend service will electronically confirm the legitimacy of the passport or ID by checking the chip, ensuring that it was issued by an authorized authority and has not been altered since its issuance.

Now that the Council has adopted its position on the proposal, the next step will be for the European Parliament to agree on its version of the proposal. Once both the Council and the Parliament reach an agreement, the law can move forward to the implementation phase. While no specific timeline for the app’s rollout has been provided, the technical development and deployment of the system will be managed by eu-LISA, the agency responsible for overseeing EU-wide digital systems, based on the agreed-upon regulatory requirements.

The introduction of the digital travel application is a significant step toward modernizing border control procedures across the EU. By enabling travelers to submit their passport data in advance, the system promises to reduce waiting times and alleviate pressure on border staff, all while maintaining high security standards. As the discussions with the European Parliament progress, travelers may soon have a more seamless and efficient way to enter the Schengen Area, making their border crossings quicker and more secure with just a few taps on their smartphones.

In the near future, EU travelers could find themselves swiping their phones to quickly and securely verify their identity, streamlining their entry process and contributing to a smoother travel experience. The shift toward digital travel credentials reflects a growing trend in the aviation and travel sectors toward digitalization, promising to improve operational efficiency while enhancing passenger experience at border crossings across Europe.