Ukraine has issued more than three million biometric passports this year
The State Migration Service of Ukraine reports that more than three million biometric passports and about 725,000 ID cards have been issued to Ukrainian citizens this year. In fact, over 440,000 passports for traveling abroad and about 100,000 identity cards were issued in July alone.
Ukraine began issuing biometric passports in 2015.
More than a million Ukrainian citizens have traveled to the European Union taking advantage of the visa-free deal of Ukraine with the EU since June 2017, Ukrinform reports.
In June of last year the Council of the European Union decided to introduce a visa-free regime for short trips of Ukrainian citizens to 30 countries of the European Union and the Schengen zone.
Ukrainians can enter the EU member states without visas for no more than 90 days during any 180-day period. To enter the Schengen Area, apart from biometric passports, Ukrainian citizens must also have documents confirming the purpose of the trip, the place of residence, the availability of sufficient financial means for this period of stay, the intention to return to the place of permanent residence, and health insurance.
Last year the country’s National Security and Defense Council said it is considering collecting biometrics of foreign visitors to tighten control of the Ukrainian state border crossings.
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