New passports coming into use in August 2006

The Finnish Parliament is currently handling the Government’s Bill for a new Passport Act that as its key reform would mean the inclusion of biometric identifiers in passports.

In line with a European Union decision, the identifiers would be an image of the face stored on a microchip, and fingerprints. Face scans would be adopted during the first phase; fingerprints would be included in passports later. According to the timetable envisaged at present, the new passports will come into use in August 2006. Passports of the current type would still be acceptable until their expiry date.

In consequence of the passport reform, among other things, the longest validity period for passports would be shortened to five years, and children could no longer be marked on the passport of a parent. Contrary to a passport received on application within Finland, the price of a passport received on application from a Finnish foreign mission abroad would not increase; instead, in accordance with the Decree on Fees for Services Produced by the Foreign Service, the price would remain at 80 euros.

Processing of passport applications to cease at Honorary Consulates

Owing to the introduction of biometric identifiers, the processing of passport applications will change so that such applications can in future be left only at an office with the right to grant passports. The current practice of submitting a passport application completed under a notary public’s supervision or at an Honorary Consulate will not be possible under the new law.

The new passport system will shorten the processing period for passport applications submitted abroad. In future, too, it will be possible to fetch a completed passport at an Honorary Consulate.

The processing of biometric identifiers requires substantial investments in equipment and data communications links; for cost reasons, these investments cannot be made at all offices now accepting passport applications. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is investigating the possibilities of equipping Honorary Consulates that handle large numbers of passports so that they could grant passports, should the funding for this become available.

Equipping one Honorary Consulate to be able to accept passport applications would cost about 55,000 euros. In addition, the annual operating costs – mostly for data communications links – would be at least 10,000 euros.

Naturally the aim is that applying for a passport wouldn’t become unreasonable difficult for Finns abroad in future, either. It will continue to be possible to apply for a passport in Finland or in Finnish foreign missions other than Honorary Consulates. In practice, however, the new law will make it somewhat harder for Finns abroad to get a passport – especially in large countries where, to date, applications for a passport have been filed in the main at Honorary Consulates. The new passport system requires that all the applicant´s personal data in the Finnish population registration system are up-to-date.

Until the new regulations come into force, passport applications are filed in accordance with the present practice.

Regulations in the USA to change in October

A law was passed in the USA in May 2002 with a view to furthering border and visa security. This law places technical requirements, for instance, with regard to entry documents, on states participating in the visa-free programme.

As of 26 October 2006, the USA will require that the passport of a person entering the country meets the international biometric standard. This requirement applies only to passports granted after the set time limit. If a passport granted after this date does not comply with the international biometric standard, a visa will be necessary to travel to the USA.

Passports granted before the set time limit entitle the bearer to travel to the USA without a visa until their expiry date, unless a visa is needed because of the duration or purpose of the stay. Passports must, however, be machine legible.