eIDAS 2.0 significantly changes how identity verification works at European borders and during EU travel by introducing the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet, which allows EU citizens to present verified digital travel credentials directly from their smartphone. This removes the need to repeatedly show physical documents at every checkpoint. The regulation applies to all EU Member States and affects everyone from individual travelers to airlines, border agencies, and transport operators. Below, we walk through the most important questions organizations and travelers are asking about eIDAS 2.0 and its impact on travel across Europe.

What changes does eIDAS 2.0 bring to cross-border identity verification?

eIDAS 2.0 creates a unified, legally binding framework for cross-border identity verification across all EU Member States. Where the original eIDAS regulation allowed countries to notify their own national eID schemes without any obligation to make them interoperable, the updated regulation closes that gap by requiring every Member State to issue an EUDI Wallet to citizens, residents, and businesses. This means that a verified identity from one country must be recognized across the EU.

The original regulation had a fundamental weakness: countries could opt in or out of building digital identity systems, which led to significant fragmentation. Some Member States had mature national eID schemes while others had almost nothing. eIDAS 2.0 ends that patchwork approach. Cross-border identity verification is no longer dependent on bilateral agreements or technical compatibility between national systems. Instead, a single interoperable wallet standard forms the foundation for all identity exchanges.

For travel and border control, this is a meaningful shift. Border agencies, airlines, and transport operators can now rely on a standardized format for digital identity data, rather than having to accommodate dozens of different national systems. The verification process becomes faster, more consistent, and significantly less prone to fraud.

How will the EUDI Wallet be used at European borders?

At European borders, the EUDI Wallet will allow travelers to present Digital Travel Credentials directly from their smartphone, replacing or supplementing physical passports and identity documents. The wallet stores verified identity data, including passport information and biometrics, in a secure digital format that can be read by border control systems at airports, ports, and land crossings.

One of the four large-scale pilot programs testing the EUDI Wallet is the EU Digital Identity Wallet Consortium (EWC), which is specifically focused on Digital Travel Credentials. This consortium is building on the reference wallet application to enable travel-related use cases across Member States, testing how travelers can move through airport security and customs by presenting digital travel documents from their wallet.

In practice, a traveler arriving at an airport could:

• Open their EUDI Wallet app on their phone
• Present a digitally verified version of their passport or national ID
• Share only the data the border authority needs, such as nationality and travel document validity
• Complete the identity check without handing over a physical document

Crucially, the wallet is designed around data minimization. Travelers share only what is necessary for a given interaction. This protects personal privacy while still meeting the verification requirements of border control authorities.

Does eIDAS 2.0 replace the physical passport for EU travel?

No, eIDAS 2.0 does not replace the physical passport for EU travel, at least not immediately. The EUDI Wallet introduces Digital Travel Credentials as a complement to existing physical documents, not a direct substitute. Whether digital credentials can fully replace a physical passport depends on national legislation, international aviation standards, and bilateral agreements with non-EU countries.

Within the EU, the regulatory framework is moving toward accepting digital identity as legally equivalent to physical documents for many purposes. However, international travel, particularly outside the EU, still depends on ICAO standards for travel documents, which currently require a physical passport. The EUDI Wallet pilots are exploring how digital credentials can work alongside existing systems rather than replacing them outright in the short term.

For intra-EU travel and border crossings between Member States, the picture is more promising. As digital infrastructure matures and national systems align with the EUDI Wallet standard, digital travel credentials are expected to become a fully accepted means of identification at EU borders. Organizations in the travel sector should plan for a transitional period where both physical and digital credentials are valid.

Which sectors and use cases benefit most from eIDAS 2.0 in travel?

The travel and transport sector stands to benefit significantly from eIDAS 2.0, but the gains extend well beyond border agencies. Airlines, airports, rail operators, car rental companies, hotels, and any organization that needs to verify a traveler’s identity can streamline their processes using EUDI Wallet credentials.

The large-scale pilots have been testing a specific travel use case: presenting information from travel documents such as passports and visas to enable quick and easy access when going through airport security and customs. This points to a near-term opportunity for airports and airlines to integrate wallet-based verification into check-in and boarding processes.

Beyond the obvious travel checkpoints, several adjacent sectors also benefit:

1. Financial services: Travelers opening accounts or accessing banking services abroad can use their wallet for instant, reusable identity verification without repeating KYC checks.
2. Healthcare: The European Health Insurance Card can be stored in the wallet, making it easier for travelers to access medical services in other Member States.
3. Telecommunications: SIM card registration with foreign providers becomes faster and more secure with wallet-based identity proof.
4. Car rental and mobility: The mobile driving license use case, also being piloted, allows travelers to present a verified digital license rather than a physical one.

Organizations in financial services and healthcare that serve travelers internationally are particularly well-positioned to benefit from early adoption of wallet-compatible identity verification.

What do organizations in travel and transport need to do to comply?

Organizations in travel and transport need to assess their current identity verification processes and determine where EUDI Wallet credentials will need to be accepted, integrated, or recognized. The compliance timeline differs between public and private organizations, and the specific obligations depend on the sector and the context in which identity verification takes place.

The practical steps for organizations include:

• Mapping identity touchpoints: Identify every point in the customer or traveler journey where identity is verified, from check-in to boarding to car rental pickup.
• Evaluating technical readiness: Assess whether existing systems can read and verify EUDI Wallet credentials, and identify integration gaps.
• Understanding the relying party role: Under eIDAS 2.0, organizations that accept wallet credentials are classified as relying parties and must meet specific technical and legal requirements.
• Following the Architecture and Reference Framework (ARF): The technical specifications developed by the eIDAS Expert Group define how wallets and relying party systems must interact. Staying aligned with these specifications is essential.
• Engaging with pilot outcomes: The large-scale pilots have been collecting real-world feedback on wallet usability and security. Organizations should monitor and apply these insights to their own implementation planning.

Government agencies involved in border control should also coordinate closely with national eID authorities to ensure their systems align with the interoperability requirements set out in eIDAS 2.0. Public bodies and public service providers are required to accept notified EUDI Wallets as a means of identification from 24 December 2026. Organizations in the government sector have a particularly central role in making digital border control a reality.

When will eIDAS 2.0 changes affect travel across Europe?

There are two key deadlines that organizations in travel and transport need to understand. By 24 December 2026, every EU Member State must have at least one certified EUDI Wallet operational and available to citizens, residents, and businesses. Public bodies and public service providers must accept notified wallets as a means of identification from that date. For regulated private organizations in the transport sector and other regulated industries — including financial services, healthcare, telecommunications, energy, education, social security, drinking water, postal services, digital infrastructure, digital services, and very large online platforms with more than 45 million users in the EU — the obligation to accept EUDI Wallet credentials applies from 24 December 2027, under Article 5f of the regulation, within the context where strong user authentication is legally or contractually required. This deadline applies to regulated private parties in those specific sectors, not to all businesses without distinction.

The large-scale pilot projects, which involved over 350 entities from 26 Member States plus Norway, Iceland, and Ukraine, were scheduled to run through 2025. The insights gathered from those pilots are feeding directly into the final technical specifications and security standards that will underpin the live rollout. This means the transition from pilot to production is happening now.

For travel organizations, the practical timeline looks like this: the revised eIDAS regulation entered into force on 20 May 2024, with the first implementing acts — covering technical specifications, security standards, and interoperability rules — adopted by the end of 2024. A second wave of technical implementing acts followed in 2025, covering areas such as qualified electronic archiving, validation, certificates, and qualified trust service providers. Wallet availability and public-sector acceptance becomes mandatory on 24 December 2026, and the acceptance obligation for regulated private parties in the relevant sectors follows on 24 December 2027. Widespread traveler adoption will grow as awareness increases and the user experience matures. Organizations that start their integration planning now will be in a far stronger position than those that wait for adoption to force the issue.

How TrustTech helps with eIDAS 2.0 and digital identity in travel

Navigating the shift to digital identity in travel is not just a technical challenge. It touches compliance, customer experience, cross-border interoperability, and organizational readiness all at once. TrustTech helps organizations in travel, transport, government, and regulated industries turn the requirements of eIDAS 2.0 into practical, working solutions.

With TrustTech, organizations can:

• Implement EUDI Wallet-compatible identity verification that meets eIDAS 2.0 relying party requirements
• Enable reusable, cryptographically verified identity checks that reduce friction at every traveler touchpoint
• Connect identity verification, qualification checks, and digital signatures in a single platform built for EU compliance
• Go from assessment to production in under five months, with a proven approach that works across industries
• Ensure full alignment with the Architecture and Reference Framework and the latest technical specifications from the eIDAS Expert Group

Whether you are an airport operator preparing to accept digital travel credentials, a transport company integrating mobile driving license verification, or a government agency modernizing border control systems, TrustTech provides the infrastructure and expertise to make it work. Explore our digital identity solutions or get in touch with our team to discuss how your organization can prepare for eIDAS 2.0 and the future of identity in travel.