You're reading: Biometric passports for Ukrainians’ traveling abroad may be introduced in 2011

The Interior Ministry of Ukraine plans to introduce electronic passports with biometric data for Ukrainians traveling abroad in the second half of 2011.

Director of the State Department for Citizenship, Immigration and the Registration of Individuals Yevhen Mamonov said at a press conference in Kyiv on November 18 that such passports are necessary, as visa-free travel would be introduced soon.

According to Mamonov, during a meeting on November 17 the Cabinet of Ministers proposed profile agencies make up a list of biometric data on chips for the electronic documents for traveling abroad.

"We think that it would be reasonable to put at least fingerprints on this list. This would allow a person to be identified," he said.

According to Mamonov, the first stage – the legislative introduction of the electronic documents – would not require financing. At the second stage – the technical implementation of the plan – financing will be necessary.

He also said that the new document would be similar to current passports for traveling abroad. The chip with biometric data would be integrated in the back cover of the document. In addition, the chip could be augmented by new data.

Mamonov added that current passports for foreign travel would not have to be exchanged for electronic documents and would remain effective until their expiration date.

According to him, there is a plan of priority measures at the moment, and later the Cabinet of Ministers will issue a respective instruction for the Interior Ministry jointly with other departments to start implementing the plan.

"I don’t think that this [the introduction of the biometric documents] will take place in the near future… In the second half of 2011 it will be more realistic," Mamonov said.