Mass printing of new biometric passports has begun, Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan said as she presented the first sample of the new passport.

“I am holding one of the world’s most secure documents. This is the first sample of the new passport for us, citizens of the Republic of Armenia. Today, I launched its large-scale printing,” the minister said in a video she posted.

New red biometric passports will be introduced in Armenia from autumn 2026. The documents will meet high international standards while also reflecting Armenian identity. They feature an outline map of the Republic of Armenia, the alphabet created by Mesrop Mashtots and the first sentence written in Armenian: “To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding.”

Blue passports will remain valid until their expiration dates.