Effective March 13, 2023, ePassports and national identity cards issued by Finnish authorities have a new look—inside and out—and advanced security features.
At first glance, it is obvious that the design of the new passport cover is quite minimalistic. The back cover of the passport is embossed with a flower. In addition, the covers of the new temporary and emergency passports are orange.
The back cover of the new Finnish passport features an embossed flower
The new national identity card has a larger photo of the holder, which helps to streamline verification. There are four variations of the new eID card: Travel, Non-Travel, Foreigner, and Minor.
Finland’s new Travel ID card has a larger photo of the holder
Both the passport and ID card contain a 2D barcode for easier scanning and recognition by machines. (The 1D barcode in the previous ID card design has been omitted.)
A new visual theme: Finland’s Archipelago Sea
The most visible change to the new passport and ID card lies in its artistic theme, which celebrates the Finnish Archipelago Sea. This theme is present in the artwork and security features of both documents. Chief of License Administration Ms. Hanna Piipponen of the National Police Board of Finland describes the Finnish Archipelago Sea as “the world’s largest archipelago, and one of the quintessential Finnish landscapes.”
These and several other pages of the new passport depict the Archipelago Sea
Advanced security features and Cyber resilience
The new Finnish documents contain cutting-edge security features to protect against fraud. Both documents have a new translucent polycarbonate structure.
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Finland’s ePassport and eID card contain UV images and other security features
Forward-thinking feature boosts Cyber resilience
A unique feature built into these documents is the ability to upgrade their security software in the field, as an important Cybersecurity measure.
Existing passports and ID cards remain valid
The launch of the new documents will have no effect on the validity of previously issued passports and identity cards. All documents will remain valid until their stated expiration date.
Watch this official video to learn more about Finland’s new travel and identity documents.
Sources/References:
Police of Finland
Finland Abroad
Thales Group
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