Departure cards scrapped in Australia, will passports be next?

Passenger departure cards disappeared from Australia's international airports this weekend and passports could be the next travel documents to go. The Department of Immigration and Border Protection is trialling contactless biometric authentication technology that would remove the need for a known traveller to present a physical passport in Australian airports, Canberra International Airport was the first to trial the technology, allowing travellers who have previously departed Australia to pass through Customs without presenting their passport. A Department of Immigration and Border Protection spokesman said it was part of a broader strategy to further streamline the traveller experience. The move follows on from the replacement of outbound passenger cards with an electronic exchange of information between airlines and govts. <br/>