As part of efforts to enhance the quality of government services and advance digital transformation, Interior Ministry Undersecretary for Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA), Shaikh Hisham bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa, visited Finland to exchange expertise and foster cooperation in the development of digital travel identity documents.
He explained that the visit comes in implementation of the directives of His Excellency Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, as part of Bahrain’s efforts to align with the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) initiative on the digitisation of travel documents.
During the visit, meetings were held with officials from the Finnish Interior Ministry and the National Police Board. The discussions focused on opportunities for joint cooperation in the digital travel identity project, as per international and European standards. The Finnish experience in implementing digital travel identity was reviewed, including the technical and operational aspects of the project, such as core requirements, implementation plans, and proposed timelines, in preparation for adopting the project in the Kingdom of Bahrain at the highest standards.
NPRA Undersecretary affirmed Bahrain’s commitment to adopting the best international practices in passport and identity systems. He emphasised the importance of enhancing international cooperation in the context of digital transformation and providing smart, accessible services to citizens and residents, particularly as Finland is recognised as a leading country in this field within the European Union.
He noted that this visit represents a significant step toward developing Bahrain’s travel document systems, as it will eventually enable citizens to use a digital travel identity via smartphone applications, contributing to smoother travel procedures and greater efficiency in service delivery.
