The Importance of Identity Documents and the Future of Integrated Travel Systems – Conclusion and Outlook
June 18, 2024
In this article, we explore how identity verification is evolving to meet the needs of modern travel within the European Union.Published: May 21, 2025
In this article, you will learn how Advanced Passenger Information (API) is transforming modern air travel – from improving border security to ensuring legal compliance across the EU. You’ll also discover how the Digital Solutions of OVD Kinegram can help you streamline your API processes, reduce errors, and enhance the passenger experience.
What is Advanced Passenger Information (API)?
Advanced Passenger Information (API) is a system used to collect specific personal details from passengers. This information is gathered at the time of booking or check-in. Once collected, the data is securely transmitted to the relevant border authorities before the flight departs. This early sharing of passenger information helps governments assess passenger risk and enforce security protocols efficiently. API plays a crucial role in enabling safer, faster border control procedures by giving authorities time to prepare for incoming travelers. Airlines are legally required to collect and transmit this information, and failure to comply can lead to penalties.
Collection of Passenger Data Using Advanced Passenger Information (API)
Advanced Passenger Information (API) is a system designed to collect and share personal data from passengers. The passenger data is required to create a clear picture of who is flying and to ensure their identity can be verified. For passengers, it’s important to enter this information accurately, as errors could delay their travel or entry into another country. The provided data helps airlines and border control agencies improve efficiency and reduce identity fraud. It’s also an important step in facilitating a faster and more secure boarding process. With API, the journey starts well before passengers reach the airport.
Standard API data includes:
- Full Name
As shown on the travel document (usually identity document or passport): first name, middle name(s), and last name. - Date of Birth
In the format used by the country’s documentation. - Gender
As indicated in the passport or official ID. - Nationality/Citizenship
The country that issued the passport or travel document. - Travel Document Details
Document type (e.g., passport), number, issuing country, and expiration date. - Flight Information
Flight number, departure airport, destination, and date of travel. - Country of Residence
Where the passenger currently lives, often used for risk assessment and immigration screening. - Destination Address (for some countries)
For example, the address where the passenger will be staying in the U.S.
Optional or additional (depending on country regulations):
- Place of Birth
- Visa details (if applicable)
- Redress or Known Traveler Numbers (e.g., for the U.S. DHS TRIP program)
- Passenger Name Record (PNR) data, which may include:
Booking reference, seat number, baggage info, contact details, and payment method
Why this data matters
Why is all this information required? In short: to ensure security and compliance. By sending this information in advance, airlines help authorities screen passengers before they arrive, ensuring the conditions for travels are met (VISA or other travel authorizations), identify potential threats, and enforce immigration laws efficiently.
Transmission to Border Authorities
Once the passenger data is collected, the airline transmits it to the relevant border control or immigration authorities before the flight departs. This early transmission ensures that the identity and travel information can be screened against watchlists and security databases. This means potential issues can be identified and resolved ahead of time, rather than during arrival. It also enables border agents to prepare in advance, making the immigration process smoother upon landing. The secure transmission of this data is a key part of international travel protocols. By submitting API data, travelers not just complying with regulations – they’re also contributing to global efforts for safer travel. It’s a behind-the-scenes process that protects both travelers and borders.
Security and Border Control
Advanced Passenger Information (API) plays a vital role in enhancing security and supporting border control strategies. The information allows authorities to conduct pre-screening and risk assessments before passengers reach their destination. This helps detect potential threats, such as individuals flagged for criminal activity or those using false documents. This system adds a layer of safety to the passenger’s journey without requiring extra steps at the airport. It also supports more efficient resource planning for border officials, who can focus on higher-risk travelers while allowing low-risk passengers to proceed more quickly. In this way, API creates a more secure travel environment for everyone. It’s a smart tool that balances freedom of movement with the need for protection.
Regulatory Compliance
Travelers might not realize that airlines are legally obligated to collect and transmit API data as part of international aviation and immigration regulations. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in fines or penalties for the airline – and possible disruptions to travel plans. That’s why passengers are always prompted to enter their personal details before certain flights. Governments around the world, especially within the EU and other regions with strong border controls, have made API collection mandatory to help manage migration, improve security, and prevent illegal entry. By participating in this process, airlines can meet their legal duties and support international efforts to maintain safe borders. It’s a simple action, but one with wide-reaching impact.
What are the legal goals behind Advanced Passenger Information (API)?
From a legal standpoint, API isn’t just about gathering data – it’s about doing it right. As an airline or travel service provider, you are obligated to collect a standardized set of API data for all flights entering, leaving, or moving within the EU. This ensures consistency and improves cooperation among Member States.
The EU also pushes for improved data quality by encouraging automation wherever possible, with manual entry allowed only in specific cases. This helps reduce errors and ensures the transmitted data is reliable and ready for security screening. Airlines or travel service providers are also legally required to transmit this information to EU Member States, which facilitates faster Schengen Area entry for travelers and supports anti-terrorism efforts.
The goal is to make borders more secure without slowing down traffic. To streamline this, the EU has introduced a centralized router, managed by eu-LISA, that handles Advanced Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data transfers securely and in compliance with strict data protection rules.
Standardized API Data Collection
From a legal standpoint, one of the key goals of API is to ensure that all airlines collect the same set of passenger data for flights to, from, and within the EU. This standardization helps authorities process the API data information consistently, no matter which airline or where to go. Standard fields – such as name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, and travel details – are collected uniformly to reduce confusion and delays. By aligning with EU-wide standards, airlines can better comply with legal requirements and support efficient border management. This also minimizes the risk of errors that could arise from inconsistent data formats. In short, standardization is the foundation for a secure and organized travel process.
Improved Advanced Passenger Information (API) Data Quality
Legal frameworks surrounding API also aim to improve the quality of the data that is collected. Automated systems now handle the majority of passenger data input, allowing for faster and more accurate processing. All participants benefit from this automation because it reduces the chances of errors that could lead to denied boarding or border issues. Manual entry is still possible, but it’s limited to exceptional cases where automation isn’t feasible. This shift not only increases efficiency for airlines but also boosts the reliability of the data used by border authorities. Higher-quality data helps identify potential risks more effectively and speeds up processing times at immigration.
Obligation to Transmit Data to Member States
Another legal objective of API is to ensure timely data transmission to EU Member States. This obligation helps border authorities process passenger information more efficiently. By receiving passenger information in advance, officials can reduce the need for extensive exit checks and focus resources where they’re most needed. This system also strengthens efforts to combat terrorism and organized crime within the EU by enabling early detection of suspicious travel patterns. This translates to faster border crossings and enhanced safety while maintaining the balance between freedom of movement and effective security control simply by submitting API data. The faster passenger information is transmitted, the smoother the passenger entry into the EU becomes.
More Efficient Data Transfer by Airlines
To meet the legal requirements for data security and efficiency, the EU has introduced a centralized routing system managed by eu-LISA. This router allows airlines to transmit API and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data securely and in compliance with strict EU data protection rules. Travelers can rest assured that personal passenger information is being handled according to GDPR and other privacy regulations. For airlines, this system reduces the complexity of sending data to multiple national authorities. It also standardizes the technical framework for data transfer, making the entire process faster and more reliable. The result is a win-win: better privacy protection for passengers, and improved operational efficiency for airlines and border agencies. By using this secure channel, everyone involved in the journey benefits from greater trust and transparency.
Advanced Passenger Information (API) and OVD Kinegram’s Digital Solutions
If you need to manage API requirements, OVD Kinegram offers powerful solutions that can simplify the process. The MOBILE SCAN SDK allows to extract data from travel documents using the passenger’s smartphone’s camera, making it easy to capture data from the MRZ on passports and identity documents accurately. The MOBILE CHIP SDK takes it a step further. It uses the captured MRZ data to log into ePassports on the RFID chip. Then, it reads the data from the chip to verify its authenticity and ensure its integrity. These solutions help your passengers to automate data collection, reduce manual errors, and improve compliance with legal requirements.
Integrating these SDKs into your company’s mobile apps or digital platforms eliminates the need for manual data entry, reducing errors and speeding up the check-in or registration process for your travelers. This leads to a better experience for your passengers while helping you meet legal requirements with ease. The solutions are fully compliant with international standards and data protection regulations, giving you peace of mind from both an operational and legal perspective. These solutions are especially valuable in an environment where speed, accuracy, security, trust, data sovereignty and data protection are critical.
Evaluate our Solutions
If you’d like to experience OVD Kinegram’s solutions firsthand before making a commitment, there are several convenient evaluation options available to you. In this series of articles, you will learn more about the different methods to evaluate our solution and products so that you can find the perfect solution for your requirements.
For a more guided experience, you can request a personal live demo with one of OVD Kinegram’s experts, where you’ll see the technology in action and get answers to your specific questions.
No matter your level of technical expertise, these evaluation options give you a clear and flexible path to explore how OVD Kinegram’s solutions can support your Advanced Passenger Information (API) process.
What should be your next step?
Now that you understand the importance and legal framework behind API, it’s time to assess your current systems. Are you collecting data manually or using outdated methods? If so, it’s worth considering a switch to automated, secure solutions like OVD Kinegram’s MOBILE SCAN SDK and MOBILE CHIP SDK. These solutions not only ensure compliance but also improve your passengers’ experience. You’ll reduce bottlenecks, increase accuracy, and strengthen your position in the digital transformation of travel. Start by identifying the touchpoints where API data is collected in your process and explore where Kinegram’s technology can integrate seamlessly. The next step is clear: make your API process faster, more secure and future-ready. By taking this step, you’re investing in both operational efficiency and trust.
Don’t wait for regulatory pressure to catch up – get ahead of the curve with secure digital solutions.
Are you ready to shape the future of secure and efficient travel?
Get in contact with the experts at OVD Kinegram to learn how cutting-edge identity solutions and secure document technologies can support your organization’s role in tomorrow’s Advanced Passenger Information (API) process and integrated travel systems.
Let’s build the future of mobility – together.
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