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ProACT Sam looks forward to cross-border immigration checks for Expats and travellers, with or without Brexit.

Watching in 1984

Face-time is old slang (back in 1984) for meeting up face to face, in the real world. The IT world and governments are looking forward to the development of face-time online.

Expats use Apple and Skype for video calls to keep in touch back home.

Recently we have seen China introducing a law requiring facial recognition for all internet users.

Many IT users, Expats and travellers are already familiar with the use of biometric data in travel.

Facial recognition is widely used in mobiles and now for automated immigration checks at ports and airports: When you put your hand on your passport and look in the camera, facial recognition and fingerprint security checks are being made to validate the identity of the traveller crossing the border.

Electronic Travel Arrangement

The USA allows visa-free travel for UK citizens and others. However, all travellers are also required to comply with ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) before boarding an aeroplane or ship to enter the USA on holiday or business entry.

This captures biometric data before you travel and is effectively an authorisation to travel to the USA without a visa. It is applied for online and valid for two years.

Check-in for flights has a new standard for Expats and travellers providing personal data to governments as a condition of travel.

EU ESTA

The EU will introduce its version of ESTA in 2021/22. This will require all non-EU citizens to register to travel into the EU from a Non EU Country.

This will include UK tourists and business travellers after Brexit.

UK Expats may then also need to maintain an ESTA when travelling into the EU even if they have a local Resident Permit.

Resident Permits are country-specific so an ESTA may be required for other EU countries. Permanent Residency or Dual Citizenship are ways to avoid the need for ESTA certification travel into the EU.

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The UK have now announced that they too will introduce a version of ESTA for all non-UK citizens after Brexit, even from Visa-free countries.

Look Forward With Clear Vision

Facial recognition and other biometric data will increasingly be central to safe and secure travel for Expats Living and Working Abroad.

Brexit will bring changes for Expats, but technology will deliver others and governments embrace regulatory changes.

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