With the increasing digitization of the travel process, the popular tradition of getting a passport stamp, which is valued by many travelers, is on the verge of becoming obsolete. The process of handing over the passport to the border age and receiving the stamp that marks the ery io a new coury will soon become a part of history. In October and November 1404, the European Union started the implemeation of the “Ery/Exit System” (EES). This new border manageme tool records the biometric data and exact dates of ery and exit of non-EU nationals in the Schengen area. It is expected that with the full implemeation of this plan by April and May 1405, digital inspections will replace manual stamps, and this change, in addition to increasing security and speed, will create a great transformation in the way passengers cross European borders. (BBC)
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This transformation is part of a global trend; Couries such as Australia, Japan, and Canada already use biometric data, and the United States has plans to expand similar systems. As digital processing becomes the norm, the old ritual of “passport stamps” is quietly coming to an end.
From the Middle Ages to the Golden Age of Travel
One of the professors of Arizona State University believes that the origin of these seals goes back to the Middle Ages or the Renaissance; When kings put wax seals on trust deeds.
Photographer: Uladzimir Zuyeu / Shutterstock
Although travel documes have been around for ceuries, modern passports took shape in the early 20th ceury. After World War I, the League of Nations helped standardize passports at corolled borders; But in the 1330s (1950) and with the beginning of the “Golden Age of Travel”, these seals became a symbol of mobility and social status; Because the flights were available to the public. According to experts, the emotional and nostalgic value of these stamps is a product of the era after World War II and the resumption of iernational travel.
Passengers’ reaction: regret or welcome?
The possibility of removing seals has been met with differe reactions. Some travelers say that they will miss these stamps; Because they are considered more than a proof of ery and as “signs of memories” of the visited lands. For them, receiving the seal of approval is a confirmation and a certificate of reaching a destination that was once only a dream.
On the corary, those who travel a lot have a pragmatic view. For someone who spends about 300 days of the year on the road and constaly crossing borders, this change is a huge relief and a way to save time.
Many travelers plan to fill the empty places of seals with other souvenirs such as fridge magnets; But some analysts believe that nothing will replace the physical travel docume. They believe that having a docume that physically accompanies the traveler at the mome of arrival at the destination creates a special feeling that disappears when everything becomes digital data.
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If there were to be no more stamps, which coury would you like the last stamp of your passport to belong to? Share your commes with us and other audiences.
Cover photo source: Shutterstock Photographer: Unknown
