International travel is about to undergo a major shake-up as smartphones will be able to hold a digital version of the British passport by 2027.
Brits will be able to store important documents such as their passport and driving license on their phone using a digital wallet app – set to be launched by the government at the end of this year.
Initially it will only be for domestic use, but eventually, after agreements, it could also be used for international travel.
Digitizing passports was an idea first floated by Finland and their residents have been able to use their phones to travel to Britain as part of a pilot programme.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle launched new government app, claiming it was the start of 'packing in' [government] services around the needs of individual people'.
“The main function you expect from the passport is that it allows you to travel without the constant fear that you have forgotten your passport,” he told The Times.
'But it doesn't depend on Britain, it depends on the country you travel to. That is why we closely monitor international standards.
'If those standards become clearer, then you will of course have a government that strives to benefit as much as possible from them.'
The digital version of the British passport will initially only be for domestic use, but could eventually, after agreements, also be used for international travel (file image)
Britons can store important documents such as their passport and driving license on their phone using a digital wallet app
The digital 'wallet' will initially be launched in June with a veteran card, followed by a pilot with driver's licenses.
And by 2027, a hub will be available for all government data, including birth certificate, national insurance number, power of attorney, marriage and DBS certificates and rights to work or rent.
The wallet will use security features already built into modern smartphones, such as facial recognition, for protection.
But those who still like their little plastic card need not worry as physical documents remain available, the government said.
The ministers hope that the app will make using services – such as applying for childcare or reporting a lost passport – much easier.
It also ensures that digital credentials are accessible immediately after a successful application, rather than waiting for them to arrive in the mail.
In addition, it helps prevent valuable documents from being lost when moving or behind filing cabinets.
Asked whether asylum and immigration status would be part of the purse strings, Mr Kyle said: “Nothing is off the table.”
The digital 'wallet' will initially be launched in June with a veteran card, followed by a pilot with driver's licenses (stock image)
The new app has raised concerns among privacy activists. Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, claimed it had all the “hallmarks of the nightmare database status expected with Blair's failed ID card scheme.”
He went on to label the proposal as “incredibly sensitive, intrusive and a honeypot for hackers.”
Mr Carlo said: 'Government should modernize and give people digital capabilities with identity documents, but this approach actually risks limiting our choices and control over our own data.
“That's because, despite our campaign, the government is inexplicably refusing to legally protect the right to use non-digital IDs, and has not explained whether we can control how much of our sensitive information will be available through this wallet.”
Derek Gordon, a digital identity expert at cybersecurity firm NCC Group, also feared that cramming all our personal data onto our phones would give cybercriminals “a new entry point” to steal our personal data.
If thieves were able to get their hands on this data, it could be used for identity theft, to commit fraud or resold on the black market, he said.
In response to these claims, Mr Kyle said there were 'no plans to make it' [digital wallet] obliged'. He also emphasized that those who do not have access to the internet will not be “left behind.”
