Regula launches digital travel credentials in latest software update

Regula has announced that it has updated its Regula Document Reader SDK.

The software

The latest software fully supports the new Digital Travel Credential (DTC) format, aligned with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

This enhancement enables governments, airlines and border control authorities worldwide to process travel documents with unmatched security, efficiency and ease – whether on site or remotely.

Digital Travel Credential

The DTC is a secure digital solution that streamlines travel experiences.

It consolidates key personal information into a single virtual document that travelers can store on their mobile devices or upload to their digital wallets and share whenever needed.

The main goal of the DTC is to facilitate clearance procedures during travel and ensure that people are eligible to enter their destination before they board a flight.

The ICAO has defined three types of DTC, each offering varying levels of convenience and security for travelers.

Types of DTC

• DTC Type 1 – allows travelers to create their own digital credentials by extracting a Virtual Component (DTC-VC) from a physical electronic identity document, stored on their personal device. However, travelers must still carry the original document for identity verification
• DTC Type 2 – issued by authorities, combines a cryptographically linked Virtual Component (DTC-VC) and a Physical Component (DTC-PC). This format adds an extra layer of security while maintaining a connection to the physical document
• DTC Type 3 – represents the future of travel identification: a fully digital document issued directly by authorities. Unlike the other types, it eliminates the need for a physical ID, streamlining identity verification for a completely digital experience

Creating and reprocessing DTC-VC

With Regula Document Reader SDK, users can create and reprocess DTC-VC from ePassports and verify it by passing DTC-VC data as input.

Also, support for handling DTC-PC has been introduced. The updated Regula Document Reader SDK can:

• Read the document’s RFID chip with a smartphone or passport reader and create DTC-VC
• Recognize, read and verify DTC-VC with a smartphone, passport reader, or server
• Read DTC-PC with a smartphone or passport reader, parse its data and verify it

The updated Regula Document Reader SDK is equipped with advanced features that fully support DTC implementation.

Regula Document Reader

To facilitate the fast and smooth global application of DTCs, Regula Document Reader SDK relies on the most comprehensive identity document template database, which is owned and maintained by Regula.

It contains more than 14,000 ID templates from 251 countries and territories and it’s constantly growing.

Regula Document Reader SDK is designed for easy integration into third-party applications, allowing clients to incorporate this advanced DTC-ready technology seamlessly into their existing systems.

The company notes that with its customizable options, businesses can adapt the solution to meet their unique operational requirements while providing end users with a secure, streamlined digital experience.

“42% are actively integrating digital IDs into their systems”

Ihar Kliashchou, Chief Technology Officer, Regula commented: “We see that the world is rapidly moving to embrace digital IDs.

“According to the Forrester Consulting study commissioned by Regula earlier in 2024, nearly half of businesses around the world, 42%, are actively integrating digital IDs into their systems.

“For the Aviation sector, this rate is even higher: 50%. By ensuring full DTC support in the latest update of Regula Document Reader SDK, we are helping our clients to smoothly transition to the future of travel, where secure, digital-first solutions redefine the passenger experience,” Kliashchou concluded.