Minister for Migration and Deputy Minister for Justice Helene Fritzon
Photo: Kristian Pohl/Government Offices of Sweden

The Swedish Government has submitted a bill to the country’s parliament on controls of biometric identifiers in travel documents. The bill was presented to the Riksdag on October 24.

“It is positive that we will now have the opportunity to check that people entering and leaving Sweden do not conceal their true identity,” says Minister for Migration and Deputy Minister for Justice Heléne Fritzon.

Proposed to enter into force on March 1 next year, the bill contains proposals that would require foreign citizens, in the same way as Swedish citizens, to allow their fingerprints and a photograph to be taken on arrival and departure to control their identity and travel documents. It would apply to all nationalities, including EU citizens, a government release issued last week said.

The bill will enhance the possibilities to prevent people entering Sweden using another person’s travel documents. It is a measure that will strengthen our common security and is a result of new provisions in the Schengen Borders Code.