Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Digital travel credentials will be free, voluntary, and less burdensome, providing a more convenient and secure experience, says the European Commission, according to EuroNews.

Travelers to and from the EU Schengen area will be able to store their travel data digitally under plans announced by the European Commission on Tuesday.

Data currently stored on the chip of a passport or ID card can be transferred to a smartphone to facilitate quicker border crossings, the Commission reported.

“Today’s proposal for the digitization of passports and identity cards paves the way for smoother and safer travel,” said Věra Jourová, Vice President of the Commission for Values and Transparency, in a statement.

Pre-submitting travel plans and documents to authorities will reduce the time taken at border crossings, allowing them to verify authenticity and focus on more concerning cases, such as migrant smugglers, the Commission asserts.

The plans will need to be agreed upon by the EU Council, which represents member states, as well as legislators in the European Parliament – and comes as the bloc prepares to introduce a separate new system for checking entry and exit from the EU Schengen area.

The entry-exit system is set to go live in November, although recent reports suggest it may face further delays.

This will mean that travelers from non-EU countries will have to go through scanners upon entering the Schengen area, the passport-free zone that encompasses much of the EU, as well as Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland, but excludes Ireland and Cyprus.

According to the Commission, the digital passport service will be voluntary and free for travelers, potentially coming into effect by 2030.