Armenia’s Interior Ministry has proposed making identification cards mandatory for citizens aged 16 and older. Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan announced the initiative during an extraordinary session of the National Assembly while presenting amendments to the law “On Identity Documents” and related legislation in first reading.

“This is important because for domestic operations we want to consider the identification card as the primary document in circulation, which will allow citizens to access public services much more smoothly,” Sargsyan said, according to Armenpress.

For individuals aged 6 to 16, authorities plan to allow identification cards on a voluntary basis, while for children under six, birth certificates would continue to serve as identity documents.

According to the interior minister, adoption of the legislative package would bring Armenia closer to visa liberalization with the European Union.