Menu
Latest
Menu
Latest
Introduction of biometrical passports in Armenia to facilitate EU visa application procedures

Introduction of biometrical passports in Armenia to facilitate EU visa application procedures

21 May 2012

Introduction of biometrical passports in Armenia will facilitate the EU visa application procedures, Hovhanness Kocharyan, Head of the Passports and Visas Department, Armenian Police, told media on Monday.

Transfer to the new system is envisaged by the Armenian Government's program of migration reform approved in 2008 and implemented as part of cooperation with the EU, he said. Kocharyan assured media that biometrical passports and ID-cards will allow reducing passport forgery, automating the identification process. In future, ID-cards will allow citizens to apply to state agencies for various issues without direct communication when them, which will reduce corruption risks.

The system of biometrical passports and ID-cards will be introduced in Armenia on June 1 2012. PWPW Company, Poland, will produce biometrical passports and ID-cards. The company won a relevant contest in April 2011. Nearly 304,000 passports and 1 million ID-cards in the amount of 16 million EUR will be issued in the period from 2012 to 2016. Production of a passport will cost 37 EUR and an ID-card - 6 EUR. Identification card is for internal use, while passport is for foreign travels. Alongside with personal details, digital photo, e-signature, the foreign passport will contain two fingerprints of the owner. The identification card will be valid within 10 years. It will contain the same data on the person in Armenian and English as the current passports.

Kocharyan said that biometrical passports are available for 25,000 drams and ID-cards for 3,000 drams. It is not compulsory for citizens to get new passports. Citizens can change their expired passports with the old model passports.

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Uzbekistan calls for bigger voice for Central Asia in the UN
Trending

Uzbekistan calls for bigger voice for Central Asia in the UN

26 September 2026
Uzbekistan called for a more effective and representative United Nations on September 23, as presidential administration chief Saida Mirziyoyeva used her address to the UN General Assembly to seek support for the country’s candidacy for a nonpermanent Security Council seat in 2035–2036. Speaking at the Assembly’s 81st session in New York, Mirziyoyeva argued that international cooperation remains necessary despite growing geopolitical divisions. She endorsed UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ UN80 reform initiative and called for an expanded Security Council, arguing that international rules should be applied consistently rather than according to the interests of powerful states. Uzbekistan’s planned chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement in 2027 was presented as another platform for promoting dialogue. Her emphasis on multilateralism also fits a broader Central Asian effort to increase the region’s role in international institutions. Kyrgyzstan, for example, will hold its first Security Council seat in 2027–2028. Mirziyoyeva also highlighted regional cooperation, pointing to improved relations among Central Asian states over longstanding border and water disputes. On Afghanistan, she urged countries not to view it solely as a security threat, stressing the importance of creating conditions for peaceful development. She linked Uzbekistan’s international agenda to domestic reforms, citing economic growth, falling poverty and expanded education. Climate and water security also featured prominently, with the Aral Sea serving as an example of the consequences of poor environmental management. (click image to read more)
Editor's choice
News
Kazakhstan declares national day of mourning after tragedy
Trending

Kazakhstan declares national day of mourning after tragedy

25 September 2026
Kazakh president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, declared September 25 a national day of mourning following the deaths of servicemen during military exercises in the Caspian Sea. Twelve Kazakh servicemen died after being swept into the Caspian Sea during the Khazar Qorgany–2026 naval exercises in the Mangystau region on Thursday (September 24). The incident occurred after weather conditions suddenly deteriorated and winds intensified during a combat training mission. In a Telegram post, the Ministry of Defence reported that 19 servicemen had been swept into the sea. So far, three have been rescued, one of whom was hospitalized, while 12 bodies have been recovered.  Search operations were continuing for the remaining four servicemen. A large-scale rescue and recovery effort has been launched, involving Kazakhstan’s Naval Forces, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, aviation assets and other relevant services.   Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, who is leading a government commission at the scene, ordered a continuous, round-the-clock search for those still missing. Authorities were also instructed to provide financial and other assistance to the families of the deceased. (click image to read in full)

Popular

Editor's choice
Interview
Thursday Interview: Murad Muradov
Trending

Thursday Interview: Murad Muradov

15 January 2026
Today, commonspace.eu starts a new regular weekly series. THURSDAY INTERVIEW, conducted by Lauri Nikulainen, will host  persons who are thinkers, opinion shapers, and implementors in their countries and spheres. We start the series with an interview with Murad Muradov, a leading person in Azerbaijan's think tank community. He is also the first co-chair of the Action Committee for a new Armenian-Azerbaijani Dialogue. Last September he made history by being the first Azerbaijani civil society activist to visit Armenia after the 44 day war, and the start of the peace process. Speaking about this visit Murad Muradov said: "My experience was largely positive. My negative expectations luckily didn’t play out. The discussions were respectful, the panel format bringing together experts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey was particularly valuable during the NATO Rose-Roth Seminar in Yerevan, and media coverage, while varied in tone, remained largely constructive. Some media outlets though attempted to represent me as more of a government mouthpiece than an independent expert, which was totally misleading.  Overall, I see these initiatives as important steps in rebuilding trust and normalising professional engagement. The fact that soon a larger Azerbaijani civil society visits to Armenia followed, reinforces the sense that this process is moving in the right direction." (click the image to read the interview in full)
Murad Muradov
Lauri Nikulainen interviews Murad Muradov