Parliament of Armenia approves biometric identity document legislation

The package of draft laws “On Identity Document” and related legislation, presented by Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan, was adopted at the second reading and in full during an extraordinary session of the National Assembly of Armenia. The legislation envisages the introduction of a new biometric system in the Republic of Armenia.

According to the minister, the initiative aims to ensure proper legal procedures in the field of identity documents and bring Armenia closer to the visa liberalization process with the European Union.

Sargsyan noted that Armenia has already received the first report from the EU on the progress of the Visa Liberalization Action Plan, which includes a special reference to the Law on Identity Document.

Presenting the main amendments, the minister said the initiative envisages making identification cards mandatory for persons over the age of 16.

According to her, persons aged 6 to 16 will have the opportunity to obtain identification cards on a voluntary basis, while for children under the age of 6, a birth certificate will be considered an identity document.

Sargsyan stated that, under the proposed legislation, all travel documents will comply with ICAO standard 9303.

According to the minister, the biometric system is planned to be introduced within the framework of a public-private partnership, while the state will retain full decision-making authority.

“It is important that we are introducing the system within the framework of public-private partnership cooperation,” she said.

Summing up the discussion, Sargsyan noted that the biometric system would also support the government’s digitalization policy.

“I believe that by the fall of 2026, we will have a completely new situation in the Republic of Armenia, and the pace of digitalization will accelerate even more,” she stated.

The process of introducing a new system of biometric passports and identification cards in Armenia is currently in its final stages. Presenting the system to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan said the new system is important both for ensuring mutually recognizable and secure documents at border crossings and for advancing the visa liberalization process with the European Union.

The new biometric passport will have a red shade. An outline map of Armenia will appear on the left side of the first page, while the Armenian coat of arms and textual information will be placed on the right side.