Skip to main content

This passport lets you use a selfie as the photo, no duck face allowed

give your duck face a rest with these equally annoying facial expressions selfie
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Later this year, citizens of Ireland will be able to buy an official passport-style identification card that uses a selfie for the photo. Flashing the card at the airport will allow the owner to travel throughout Europe without an actual full passport. To get the card, an official app will be produced, through which personal details will be added, and the all-important selfie snapped.

selfie passportThat’s right, your selfie will taken using a government sanctioned photo app, and can’t be one you shared on Instagram, or tweaked using the many beautification tools available through standard camera apps. Expect some clever facial recognition tech to delete pictures featuring duck faces, horse’s head masks, or photo bombing animals. Once the card has been delivered, it’ll be valid for five years, dashing any dreams selfie fans had for updating the picture each day.

While the card won’t be used for travel outside the European Union, it will have other uses. For example, it could be used as a backup should the owner lose their full passport, or serve as a temporary travel permit while it’s being renewed or replaced. Because it’s credit card sized, it’d be handy identification too. Several European countries already allow people to travel between countries using a national identification card.

Currently, the passport card is only due for launch in Ireland, and it’ll be available from July this year, when it will cost 35 euros, or about $40. It’s not clear whether this is a trial run for a wider launch through the rest of the UK, or out into Europe.

Should the scheme prove successful, selfies could be approved for use on other official documents, provided it’s taken using a dedicated and approved smartphone app. The announcement also links into new reports Delaware plans to introduce a digital driving licence in 2016, which unlike the selfie passport, wouldn’t be accompanied by a physical version at all.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Apple just announced the dates for WWDC 2024
WWDC 2024 banner.

Apple has just announced the dates for its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024. WWDC will take place from June 10 through June 14, 2024. A special event will be held at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on June 10, and we expect to see the reveal of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, tvOS 18, macOS 15, and visionOS 2.

WWDC will be free for all developers online. Developers will be able to access a variety of online sessions and labs that will showcase the latest advancements in software across all of Apple’s hardware.

Read more
Does the Moto G Stylus have NFC?
Moto G Stylus 5G 2023 leaning

The Motorola Moto G Stylus is a line of midrange Android smartphones, each of which comes packing a stylus — as the name ,akes clear. The two latest models are the Moto G Stylus (2023) and the Moto G Stylus 5G (2023). Although these models are similar, they have some noticeable differences, including their support for near-field communication (NFC) technology. This article will examine which Moto G Stylus models come with NFC and which do not.
What is NFC?

Near-field communication (NFC) is a technology that lets two gadgets communicate with each other when they are within a few centimeters of each other. It is useful for touch payments, e-tickets, data sharing, and effortlessly linking devices via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Read more
Galaxy AI is now available for these other Samsung phones
A white Samsung Galaxy S23 next to a pink Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus.

In January, Samsung introduced its Galaxy AI features alongside its Galaxy S24 series of smartphones. Since then, if you've wanted to use Galaxy AI, you've needed a Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Plus, or Galaxy S24 Ultra. That's about to change.

Samsung just announced that it's about to bring those Galaxy AI features to a lot more devices, meaning you'll soon be able to use Galaxy AI even if you don't have a Galaxy S24.

Read more