Electronic passport control to be introduced at BiH’s international airports

According to the Sarajevo International Airport, the project was initiated by the Agency for Identification Documents, Registers and Data Exchange of BiH (IDDEEA). A recent working meeting in Banja Luka involved representatives from the Border Police of BiH, BHANSA, and the international airports of Sarajevo, Mostar, and Banja Luka.

The main topic of the meeting was the introduction of Automated Border Control systems (ABC or e-gates), which focus on passport verification. Technical aspects of the project were presented, and teams were formed to prepare a pilot project and an application for funding from the European Union.

“According to agreed responsibilities, Sarajevo Airport will provide all technical prerequisites for equipment installation, including space adaptation, while the procurement and integration of devices with the IDDEEA system will fall under the jurisdiction of the Border Police of BiH,” the airport said.

The airport administration emphasized that increasing passenger throughput and reducing queues is a strategic interest. They will also consider co-financing the purchase of equipment, depending on priorities and available resources.

Initially, e-gate devices will be available for Bosnian citizens, with plans to extend the system to foreign travelers later. Passing through an e-gate takes 15 to 30 seconds, compared to several minutes at traditional passport control, especially during peak travel times. This not only reduces queues but also frees border officers to focus on more complex security checks, the airport noted.

Automated passport control is already standard at major European airports such as Frankfurt, Paris, and Amsterdam, where thousands of passengers use e-gates daily. In the region, similar systems operate at Zagreb Airport and have recently been introduced at Belgrade Airport, allowing domestic and EU travelers to clear passport control quickly.