You can now travel ‘contactless’ to this Caribbean island 

People enjoy Mambo beach south of Willemstad, Curacao, in the Dutch Caribbean, on March 4, 2020. (Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images)

Traveling to Curaçao just got a whole lot easier. 

Entrust, a company that handles identity-centric software for governments, enterprises and financial institutions across the world, recently announced a new initiative with the Government of Curaçao that allows travelers from the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union to have “a seamless and contactless journey” through the company’s subsidiary, Airside. 

The Airside Digital Identity App is part of the world’s first fully operational pre-processing biometric border crossing program.

As part of the streamlined experience, which became available on June 26, travelers will be able to enroll in the Curaçao Express Pass Program, which enables them to securely share passport data with border control agents before their trip using the app. 

“Upon arrival at Curaçao International Airport, pre-processed travelers enjoy expedited clearance through designated lanes where they simply show their faces to process through contactless e-Gates,” Entrust officials stated. “This eliminates the need for physical document checks and traditional border control interactions, reducing processing times by more than 50% while maintaining the highest levels of security and accuracy.” 

It is travelers who initiate the verification and sharing of their electronic data to Curaçao’s immigration services, officials said, and the app is fully customized to the island’s specific governmental requirements. 

“The government processes the data after opt-in user consent for entry via the border management system but does not hold it long-term in a gallery,” officials said. “Your verified information is protected on your encrypted device. Only you can share the information with immigration…Data will only be available for the e-Gates on the day of travel and will then be automatically deleted.” 

The launch of the program comes on the heels of Curaçao’s busiest year for tourists in their history; the island finished 2023 with 1.76 million visitors, resulting in an estimated economic impact of $1.4 billion. 

Curaçao is one of four subdivisions of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which includes the eponymous Netherlands in western Europe, Aruba and Sint Maarten.