Estonia: Automated border crossing tested at Luhamaa checkpoint

TALLINN - Automated crossing of the border is being tested at the Luhamaa checkpoint on the Estonian-Russian border beginning Tuesday.

"The system of automated border-crossing is meant for outgoing Estonian citizens and holders of the Estonian alien's passport who are crossing the border in a car registered in Estonia, who cross the border frequently and have not violated the law in connection with crossing of the border earlier," the head of the border checkpoints of Southeastern Estonia, Andrus Reimaa, said. 

Besides enabling faster and more convenient crossing of the border, the automated system allows border guards to pay greater attention to passengers and vehicles with regard to which more intense controls are necessary, Reimaa said.

To enable automated crossing of the border, a registration kiosk with face recognition equipment has been set up at the Luhamaa checkpoint.

People who wish to cross the border using the automated system must first let the system scan their passport. Drivers are also required to enter information about their vehicle. The equipment will then take a photograph of the person's face to match the image against the photograph in the passport. Next the system will direct the vehicle to a designated border crossing lane where border guards will allow the crossing to be performed faster.

To check against risks, from time to time vehicles directed to the designated lane for automated border-crossing will be subjected to checks pursuant to regular procedure.

The automated system will be tested at the Luhamaa checkpoint as part of a pilot project over the next month, and if the system justifies itself it will be introduced at other checkpoints as well. 

The system for automated border crossing was developed by GoSwift, the company managing waiting lines at the border checkpoints of Estonia, Finland and Lithuania.