The application of non-contact chip technology has far- reaching consequences for the design and production of travel documents. It also offers interesting opportunities in the areas of document use and inspection. This article focuses on the Dutch travel document, which is capable of incorporating non-contact chip technology. It also explains how this technology may be used to automate the border crossing process. Tom Kinneging is a senior project manager with Enschedé/Sdu. For the past 23 years, he has worked on the development of personalisation techniques incorporated in documents of value and travel documents. He was responsible for the development of an ICT infrastructure that facilitates the personalisation, distribution and issuance of the current generation of Dutch travel documents. Tom is a member of both the ISO study group, whose remit is to develop standards for Machine Readable Travel Documents, and the ICAO New Technologies Working Group.