The European Union is preparing a digital service that will allow citizens of third countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, to cross the Schengen border faster and easier.
The EU is introducing a “digital passport” through an app (EU Digital Travel) to speed up checks at external Schengen borders.
The physical passport remains mandatory – the digital version is an additional option.
EES introduces more automated checks and biometrics; start is 12.10.2025 (with phased introduction).
ETIAS is expected in Q4 2026 and will be an additional online step before travel; the fee is €20.
Harmonization of the e-identification framework (eIDAS 2.0) is key for BiH so that citizens can use future EU digital solutions.
What is the EU “digital passport” and the EU Digital Travel application
This issue became especially relevant after numerous complaints from citizens of BiH that detentions at the Croatian border of the EU were significantly prolonged after the introduction of EES at the end of last year, on October 12, 2025, the new system of digital records of passengers entering the Schengen area, ahead of the introduction of ETIAS, an online form that citizens of third countries will have to fill in if they want to enter the EU.
The digital service, which will be called “digital travel application” will be a certain type of “digital passport“, that is, the possibility of storing citizens’ biometric data in digital form. As we were told by the European Commission, this service will also be offered to citizens of third countries who meet the conditions. The most important condition is a suitable biometric passport, and other technical conditions must be met, the most important of which is the establishment of a digital identity.
EES and ETIAS – key deadlines and what changes at the border
Armina Musa, advisor to the director for security of information systems in the Agency for identification documents, records and data exchange of BiH, confirmed for “Nezavisne” that IDDEAA knows about this service that the EU is preparing and claims that it will be technically ready for its implementation, but warns that again, as many times before, politics could get involved in everything.
“Until a new law on electronic identification and trust services, fully aligned with eIDAS 2.0, is adopted at the state level, citizens of BiH will not be able to formally use this type of European services. It is through this law, as well as through the accompanying by-laws, that this area must be clearly and consistently regulated vertically and horizontally at all levels of government, in order to ensure legal security, interoperability and international recognition of the digital identity of BiH,” she told us.
What does it specifically mean for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina?
As Musa pointed out, in the past period, IDDEEA successfully completed the first phase of the development of the state digital wallet, which made BiH join the circle of states that already have operational foundations for a modern digital identity aligned with European practices. This work, as she emphasized, was realized thanks to the support and close coordination with the EU Delegation and the German development agency GIZ.
She added that the completion of the second phase is expected soon, after which a fully EU-compliant digital wallet in accordance with eIDAS 2.0 will be available to the citizens of BiH.
“The key next step is the adoption of a modern legal framework at the state level, which would enable the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina to use the future European digital identities and services resulting from them in their full capacity,” said Musa.
As explained to us by the European Commission, the “digital passport” will have all the necessary data found on the physical passport, and the service should start functioning from 2030, after the EES and ETIAS are fully established and start working normally.
What must BiH do to follow the EU digital framework
As we have written several times so far, the EES should start functioning from April 10, by which time the data of the majority of citizens should be entered into the system. Then, by the end of this year, the application of ETIAS will begin, which will be valid for three years or until the expiration of the valid passport, and it will be necessary to pay a fee of 21 euros.
“A digital travel document can be requested when obtaining a new passport or identity card, at no additional cost. When the EU Digital Travel app is available, travelers will be able to create a digital travel document themselves through the app based on their existing travel document. Travelers can also choose not to request a digital travel document and continue to use only their physical passport or identity card. Once the EU Digital Travel app is available, third-country nationals will be able to create their own ‘digital travel document’ through the app. passport’, based on your existing physical passport”, the Commission explained to us.
What travelers can do now
Travelers will be able to create a digital travel document by scanning their physical travel document using an app on their mobile phone.
“The application will check whether the document is authentic and matches the traveler’s face, comparing it with the biometric photo stored in the travel document, to ensure that only the legitimate holder can create a digital travel document based on that physical document. Once the digital travel document is created, and before crossing the border, travelers can submit it to the border authorities for a preliminary check. The border authorities will perform the same checks as in the case when the traveler physically presents his travel document document for control. This will make crossing the border faster and simpler”, it is explained, they write Independent newspaper.
