Old-style international passports have not been popular for a long time: instead of them, biometric documents are now issued. There are many reasons for the transition to the new format of foreign passports, the most important of which is to simplify the reading and storage of information about the owners of documents.
The main advantages of the new type of passports
The old generation document was issued for only 5 years. For short and infrequent trips, this was quite enough, but people who often visit other countries did not like this procedure. Problems arose also because in order to obtain a visa, in many cases, a foreign passport is required, the validity of which expires no earlier than six months after the expected return of the tourist to his homeland. A new generation document is issued every 10 years, which is undoubtedly much more convenient.
The previous passports had 36 pages, and the new ones have 46. For people who often travel to different countries, this option is perfect, and they will not have problems due to the lack of pages. At the same time, those who have decided to get a biometric passport will be able to "save" pages thanks to long-term visas, which are valid for 3 or 5 years. This is very convenient for people who often visit a certain country or group of countries (for example, the Schengen states). Long-term visas for old generation passport holders are generally unacceptable.
Additional advantages of biometric passports
Currently, some airports are installing special devices for self-check-in of passengers using new-generation foreign passports. Tourists who do not have luggage can skip the line and simply use the automatic check-in desk. This is a great option for those looking to save time.
Border control for citizens with biometric passports has been greatly simplified. This is due to the fact that all the necessary information is already recorded in the chip of such a document, so it is not difficult to check it and enter it into a computer. Registration and registration are carried out automatically, which allows you to spend a minimum amount of time passing the control.
It is also worth noting that in many countries the level of trust in the holders of biometric foreign passports is much higher than in those who preferred to issue an old-style document. This is due, among other things, to the fact that most states prefer to switch to the most modern and high-tech version of documents - some of them even "remember" information about their owner's fingerprints. As a result, a new generation passport often helps simplify the check-in process for flights in other countries.
