Issuance of Biometric Passports to Cease from 2024

In Armenia, the issuance of biometric passports to citizens will temporarily cease until January 1, 2024, until the creation of biometric passports equipped with future generation technologies and security conditions and the gradual replacement of old passports with new ones.

The package of draft amendments to the Law on the Passport of the Citizen of the Republic of Armenia received a positive conclusion during the meeting of the Permanent Committee on Defense and Security Issues of the National Assembly.

Deputy Chief of Police Ara Fidanyan stated that the draft law proposes to extend the term for issuing passports, as stipulated by the Armenian government's decision of December 25, 1998, until December 31, 2023. Identity cards will be issued without electronic storage until the characteristics are defined by a government decision. Identity cards with electronic storage are expected to be issued by February 15, 2023, while those without electronic storage will be issued from February 15, 2023, onwards.

Fidanyan emphasized, “Thus, the project establishes that the issuance (exchange) of passports provided for by this law is suspended from January 1, 2023, until January 1, 2024. Passports issued to Armenian citizens until January 1, 2023, are considered valid.” The law comes into force on December 30, 2022.