National ID Card Becomes Mandatory for Those Aged 16 and Over

The Armenian Parliament has approved in the first reading a package of laws regarding "Documents Confirming Identity," which introduces a new biometric system. The legislative package was discussed and adopted during the extraordinary session of the National Assembly on May 11, aiming to establish legal procedures for the implementation of the biometric system.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Alina Sarkisyan, stated that the process is being carried out within the framework of public-private partnership. According to the minister, these changes will also contribute to the visa liberalization process with the European Union.

The legislative initiative establishes that having a national ID card will become mandatory for citizens who have reached the age of 16. For children aged 6 to 16, the issuance of the card will be on a voluntary basis, while birth certificates will be considered valid identification for children under 6 years of age. Currently, ID cards are only issued to individuals aged 16 and over.

The minister also emphasized that all travel documents will conform to the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization. Additionally, all documents issued to foreigners will be required to contain biometric data.