Traveling to Canada and the Netherlands can now be done even if you do not have a passport. Find out how.

When we travel to other countries, it is important that you always carry a passport with you. It serves as your international ID for the country you are visiting to use to know your background and travel history. However, soon, it is possible that you do not need to bring your passport along with you when you travel.

On Tuesday, the World Economic Forum and the Canadian and Dutch Government announced the launch of a passport free travel program for both countries. The program, formally known as the Known Traveler Digital Identity (KTDI), is expected to start in early 2020 and will be seen first in both Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and Pearson International Airport.

The program is the governments’ answer to streamline air travel. It would also help airports keep up with the demand. According to the UN World Tourism, international tourists will rise up to 1.8 billion by 2030.

What is KTDI?

The program will use biometrics and blockchain technology to verify a traveler’s data. Once they arrive in their destination, airlines and border authorities can use the data to check the traveler’s profile. As time passes, they will be able to create a “known traveler status” profile which can be stored and encrypted in a traveler’s mobile phone. Since the data is in the phone, passengers do not need to carry their passports anymore.

In the report of the WEF and known technology, consulting and strategy company Accenture, the program will give passengers control over who can use their data. It will also help governments check traveler profiles before they arrive and make their entry smoother. It will also ensure that data remains secure without having it stored in one central database.

How to Get to Canada and to the Netherlands?

Traveling to either Canada or the Netherlands is very easy no matter where you are in the globe. Major airline companies worldwide have direct flights to Amsterdam, Montreal and Toronto.

If you are planning to visit Canada and the Netherlands, there are a lot of sites online to help you plan your trip. If you are visiting Canada, you can visit the official websites See Toronto or Tourisme Montreal. For those traveling to the Netherlands, you can check out Iamsterdam for a comprehensive guide. We also wrote some articles about the best places to stay in Amsterdam and the cost of living in the city here in our site.