NEWS FLASH
Three international airports in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Mostar – have launched preparatory work for the introduction of electronic passport control (eGates), aimed at significantly speeding up border procedures and reducing congestion. The project, led by the Agency for Identification Documents, Registers and Data Exchange of Bosnia and Herzegovina (IDDEEA), recently brought together representatives from the Border Police, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Air Navigation Services Agency and the three airports. The parties agreed to establish dedicated teams that will develop a pilot project and prepare an application for European Union funding. Sarajevo Airport will take responsibility for ensuring the technical conditions for the installation and adaption of designated areas, while the Border Police will handle procurement and integration of the equipment with IDDEEA’s system. In the first phase, the eGates will be available to Bosnian citizens, with access later expanding to foreign travellers.
eGates typically operate through a two-step process. Passengers first scan their passport, which opens the initial gate. A photo is then taken for facial recognition, after which a second gate opens, allowing the traveller to continue their journey. Within the former Yugoslavia, Belgrade Airport currently boasts passport eGates for arriving and departing passengers. They are available for passport holders from Serbia, as well as Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Germany, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Last year, Singapore’s Changi Airport became the first in the world to process all arriving and departing travellers exclusively through eGates, regardless of their nationality.