Old-style passports to be replaced by ID cards starting early JanDecember 19, 2013 - 17:24 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Starting January 1, 2014, citizens of Armenia will be given Identification Cards (ID cards) instead of old-style passports, the head of the Armenian Police department for passports and visas said. According to Norayr Muradkhanyan, the previously issued passports will be valid both in Armenia and abroad until their expiry date. Only those needing passports for a period of up to 3 years will receive old-style documents. Children under 16 and draft-age men are included in this group. A state duty of AMD 3000 will be raised to issue ID cards, which will contain digital signatures and social card data. Those under 16 and persons on welfare won’t be charged the payment. The document will be issued for 10 years. Biometric passports will be provided to those planning a foreign trip or in lieu of an expired passport, Muradkhanyan said. The introduction of biometric passports is implemented in the framework of European Neighborhood program to promote free travel of Armenian citizens and facilitate entry into European states. The biometric passports will cost AMD 25000. At present, about 91 thousand Armenian citizens have received ID cards and about 4,5 thousand were given biometric passports. Related links: Top stories The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has visited the southern Armenian province of Syunik, the Defense Ministry reported on March 18. Partner news | Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. |