The future of passports: What could they look like in 20 years?

The evolution of passports will be marked by digitalisation, AI, and eco-friendly materials, enhancing security and convenience for travellers.

In the next two decades, passports will undergo transformative changes driven by digitalisation, AI advancements, and environmental sustainability.

The future of passports: how digitalization, AI, and sustainability will shape travel by 2044

By 2044, we anticipate a dual issuance system where citizens are provided with both physical and digital documents. This shift will facilitate seamless travel, allowing for pre-trip digital credentialing for various steps like check-in and border control, using facial recognition as the primary identification method.

Such a system would be useful in the case of peak demand for passports before holiday season, when it can be a much longer wait, with a digital travel document available electronically as soon as the application is approved, while the physical  document is produced and shipped. This would also be useful in cases of loss or theft of the passport, to instantly receive emergency travel documents.  

The persistence of physical passports, albeit in a diminished role, highlights a fundamental human need for tangible identification. These documents, while serving as a key to our digital identities, will continue to symbolize national sovereignty and  individual rights.

Future passport features

A major trend shaping the future of passports is the increased use of biometric technology: over the past decade, the proliferation of portraits in documents has significantly strengthened passport security.

With the adoption of polycarbonate material for the data page, different personalisation techniques , including laser engraving, have become available to multiply portraits in several locations in a lens, in a clear window, perforated in the data page, or inkjet-printed on page 3 for instance. This makes it significantly more complex for forgers to alter a document and match it to the new “owner”.

These advanced personalisation methods increase the challenges faced by border officers to verify multiple data points, but the number of portraits is unlikely to change. 

As personalisation technologies continue to evolve, the documents will also integrate and combine more machine-only verifiable features, especially in the context of increasingly automated border controls.

Quantum-safe security

The shadow of quantum computing looms large, presenting both opportunities and significant challenges for passport security. The shift to quantum-safe algorithms is not just a technical upgrade; it is a critical step in safeguarding our biometric data, passport authentication and national security against emerging threats.

By 2044, quantum computers will be mainstream and comfortably able to break 2024 algorithms in a few hours as opposed to millions of years. 

The main risks for passports are deciphering Document Signer certificates to sign a fake document that would match with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Public Key Directory and the retrieval of additional biometrics in high quality formats that could be used for identity theft.

ICAO will have made the necessary changes in the late 2020s to replace existing algorithms with quantum-safe alternatives, initiating a soft transition with hybrid schemes mixing conventional cryptography and post-quantum cryptography.

In 2044, ePassports should be crypto agile, allowing for upgrades to algorithms for documents in the field, to maintain robustness over the document’s lifetime. This would be done seamlessly either when crossing borders or with a smartphone and app.

Eco-friendly ePassports: the future of more sustainable passport design by 2044

Environmental sustainability is emerging as a cornerstone of passport design well  before 2044. The adoption of recycled materials and reduced reliance on virgin fossil feedstocks mirrors a broader societal shift towards environmental responsibility. This evolution is particularly poignant, considering the travel industry’s historical impact on the environment. 

Sustainability will continue to be a key focus, with passport data pages incorporating a recycled polycarbonates while maintaining durability and security characteristics. Some will integrate new plastic free materials, using alternatives like bio-mass or circular economy feedstocks. Passports will also have less visa pages, due to less frequent stamping, and will use more paper coming from responsibly-managed forests.

2044 v 2024 – The evolution of passports in security, sustainability, and digital innovation

Overall, the passport of 2044 will represent a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation. While physical passports will retain their symbolic and practical importance, their digital counterparts will enable more efficient and secure travel experiences.

The imminent arrival of quantum computing necessitates a shift to quantum-safe algorithms, ensuring that passport security remains impervious to emerging technological threats, whilst environmental sustainability will be a cornerstone of passport design, emphasizing the use of recycled materials.

Artificial Intelligence will also play a pivotal role in enhancing passport design and verification, offering dynamic solutions to ever-evolving security challenges. Visual security features will still be a necessity, given the AI boost that fraudsters will also be able to leverage.

Ultimately, these advancements signal a future where passports will evolve to become more secure, sustainable, and intelligent, aligning with the ever-changing landscape of travel and technology.