Why Are New Procedures Being Introduced?In today's world, it has become increasingly important that documents required to travel – passports and identity cards – are secure. As of October 1, 2005, Swedish travel documents are issued in compliance with the requirements laid down in the EU regulation regarding passport security and biometrics. These passports and identity cards have a computer chip which stores the holder's personal data and photograph.
The police in Sweden use digital photo stations to photograph everyone who applies for a passport or identity card. At a border checkpoint, a snapshot of the passport holder can be instantly compared to the photo on the chip. The aim is to ensure that the person using the passport and the person in the passport photo is one and the same.
For that same reason, photo stations have also been installed at Swedish missions abroad to photograph all passport applicants. These photos have come to replace those previously provided by the applicants themselves.
Read more on passports procedures under Services for Swedes in the menu to the left of this page
Further information about Swedish passports and identity cards is also available on the website of the Swedish Police www.polisen.se