Aruba Happy One Pass (AHOP)

Aruba Happy One Pass (AHOP) is a digital identity and travel credential system developed through a partnership between the Aruba Ministry of Tourism, Aruba Tourism Authority, SITA, and Indicio. The system implements Digital Travel Credentials (DTC) following ICAO standards to streamline border crossing and travel document verification.

The core technical implementation uses W3C Verifiable Credentials and blockchain technology to enable travelers to create a digital version of their passport stored in a mobile wallet. The system authenticates the DTC against the ICAO Public Key Directory and issues a Verifiable Credential that supports selective disclosure of attributes. Key features include:

• Biometric verification at border control using FACEPOD booths
• Integration with Aruba's ED Card (immigration) system for pre-arrival verification
• Support for US, Canadian, and Dutch passport holders initially
• Privacy-preserving architecture where travelers control data sharing
• Contactless processing reducing manual document checks

The project launched pilot testing in March 2023 showing a 64% reduction in manual data entry and 100% error-free clearance rate. While physical passports are still required, AHOP represents one of the first implementations of ICAO DTC standards for border crossing. The system was developed as an evolution of Aruba's COVID health verification app and aims to expand to hotel check-in, car rentals and other tourism services.