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Electronic passports have long been implemented in most European countries. These are biometric documents protected against forgery that contain digital information. Among the leaders here are Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain and other EU members. They use ICAO standards to ensure mutual recognition. It's important to note that an electronic passport is recognized by practically all countries in the world when crossing borders, since it's an official document issued by a state member of the international community.
Outside of Europe, electronic passports are also being actively implemented. They're issued by Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and many other countries. In the Russian Federation, a system of electronic passports has been in place since 2021, which people can obtain voluntarily. An electronic passport provides convenience when traveling and is stored in digital format on a smartphone or in cloud storage.
Really though, the main thing isn't which countries issue them, but which ones recognize them. And pretty much everyone does - as long as the document meets international standards. It's a biometric passport with a machine-readable zone, protection against forgery and encrypted data. When you arrive in any country, border guards and airlines know how to check it. The system works thanks to these uniform standards.
An electronic passport isn't really about crossing international borders, it's more of an internal ID! I've been using an electronic passport in Russia for several years now, and it's actually really convenient. To cross borders you need a regular biometric passport, but in Estonia, Lithuania and other EU countries they're also actively rolling out electronic passports for internal use and certain services. If you're planning to travel, check the specific requirements for the country you're going to - they usually require the traditional passport!
Electronic passports are recognized by most developed countries, including all EU countries, the USA, Canada, Australia, and Japan, but it's better to check the specific requirements of your destination country on its official website before traveling, since the rules get updated from time to time.
I don't know the exact list, because i rarely travel abroad myself - my hobby takes up more of my time on lakes than traveling does. but it seems like european countries adopted electronic passports a long time ago, and now it's becoming the standard in many countries, although i'd recommend checking the current list on the official foreign ministry website before your trip.
Important thing to note - an electronic passport and a biometric passport aren't quite the same thing, and countries can recognize one but not the other. Here in Russia, for example, an electronic passport is basically a document for domestic use, but a biometric foreign passport is accepted practically everywhere, including the EU, USA, Australia, and Japan. But yeah, before you travel it's worth double-checking with the embassy or on the visa center's website, because requirements can vary depending on the specific country and the purpose of your visit.
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