The issuance of new biometric identification documents—passports and ID cards meeting the highest European Union standards—will begin this autumn. This was announced by Nelly Davtyan, Head of the Migration and Citizenship Service, who specified that the documents will be issued within 14 working days.
The new biometric passport will cost 28,650 AMD, up from the previous 25,000, and will be valid for 10 years. The cost of an ID card will become 5,950 AMD, up from 3,000, with a validity period of 5 years. This card will be voluntary for those under 16 and mandatory for those 16 and older. To obtain a passport, citizens must first hold an ID card.
Printing of old-style documents will be discontinued, although current passports will remain valid. Citizens have the right to voluntarily replace them with the new ones; however, in the event of loss or expiration, they will be issued the new version exclusively. In the first phase, the process will be handled by 14 offices opened by a private company.
In addition to the passport system, large-scale reforms of the state population registry are underway. Procedures for granting residency status will be digitized starting November 1, and from January 1, 2027, the entire process for applying for citizenship will also go digital.
These changes demonstrate a clear commitment to modernizing public services and aligning with European standards. Despite the price increases, this digitization process will significantly simplify citizens' interactions with the state system.
It remains to be seen whether the planned 14 offices will be able to handle the flow of citizens without queues. The real results will become apparent starting January 1, when the legislative packages for the registry reforms come into effect.
