Some Finnish travellers to USA could need visa at end of year
Introduction of biometric passports expected next year
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Finland appears unlikely to introduce new biometric passports before the beginning of next year. This means that Finns who travel to the United States and who are issued a new Finnish passport after October 26th, but before the new types of passports are available, will have to get a separate US visa before they travel.
Under new US regulations, citizens of countries eligible for visa-free travel to the United States, must have a passport containing a microchip with biometric information on the bearer if that passport is issued after the deadline. Visa-free travel to the USA will still be possible with valid passports issued before October 26th.
Anne Aaltonen of the Ministry of the Interior does not believe that Finland can implement the changes by the deadline.
The government's proposal for new passport legislation is also set to come into effect at the beginning of next year. "The idea is that new passports would not be issued until the law is in effect", Aaltonen explains.
The new passports would contain a memory chip with personal information. In the first stage, it would contain an electronic photograph of the bearer's face. Later, possibly in 2008, it would also contain a fingerprint record.
The United States is not expected to agree to a request from the European Commission to extend the deadline.
Proposed legislation on biometric passports was debated in Parliament on Tuesday, with several MPs expressing concern about the implications for privacy.
Minister of the Interior Kari Rajamäki (SDP) said that the changes would improve national security. He said it would help fight illegal immigration, trafficking in humans, and organised crime.
Green League Parliamentarians took a somewhat different view of the situation. Rosa Meriläinen said that more and more steps were being taken toward a "big-brother-is-watching society". She warned that the ultimate result would be "fear and insecurity".
The Greens' main argument was that if such measures are enacted, other measures to improve data security should also be put in place.
In addition to the greater potential for keeping citizens under scrutiny, there were fears that if the databases were stolen by criminals, it would increase the danger of identity theft.
The proposals for new legislation were supported by MPs of the opposition National Coalition Party, who downplayed the Greens' Orwellian concerns.
The change is expected to raise the price of a Finnish passport from the present EUR 40 to EUR 60. The validity of passports will also go down from ten years to five, and children who travel with their parents will also be required to have a passport of their own.
Left Alliance MP Jaakko Laakso calculated that this means that during a ten-year period, a family of four would have to spend EUR 480 on passport fees, up from the present EUR 80.
Under new US regulations, citizens of countries eligible for visa-free travel to the United States, must have a passport containing a microchip with biometric information on the bearer if that passport is issued after the deadline. Visa-free travel to the USA will still be possible with valid passports issued before October 26th.
Anne Aaltonen of the Ministry of the Interior does not believe that Finland can implement the changes by the deadline.
The government's proposal for new passport legislation is also set to come into effect at the beginning of next year. "The idea is that new passports would not be issued until the law is in effect", Aaltonen explains.
The new passports would contain a memory chip with personal information. In the first stage, it would contain an electronic photograph of the bearer's face. Later, possibly in 2008, it would also contain a fingerprint record.
The United States is not expected to agree to a request from the European Commission to extend the deadline.
Proposed legislation on biometric passports was debated in Parliament on Tuesday, with several MPs expressing concern about the implications for privacy.
Minister of the Interior Kari Rajamäki (SDP) said that the changes would improve national security. He said it would help fight illegal immigration, trafficking in humans, and organised crime.
Green League Parliamentarians took a somewhat different view of the situation. Rosa Meriläinen said that more and more steps were being taken toward a "big-brother-is-watching society". She warned that the ultimate result would be "fear and insecurity".
The Greens' main argument was that if such measures are enacted, other measures to improve data security should also be put in place.
In addition to the greater potential for keeping citizens under scrutiny, there were fears that if the databases were stolen by criminals, it would increase the danger of identity theft.
The proposals for new legislation were supported by MPs of the opposition National Coalition Party, who downplayed the Greens' Orwellian concerns.
The change is expected to raise the price of a Finnish passport from the present EUR 40 to EUR 60. The validity of passports will also go down from ten years to five, and children who travel with their parents will also be required to have a passport of their own.
Left Alliance MP Jaakko Laakso calculated that this means that during a ten-year period, a family of four would have to spend EUR 480 on passport fees, up from the present EUR 80.
Helsingin Sanomat