Armenia passes biometric ID law as it moves toward EU visa liberalization

Armenia has passed a package of laws on identity documents, paving the way for the introduction of a new biometric ID and passport system in the country. The amendments to the law On Identity Documents were adopted during a session of the National Assembly of Armenia on Monday.

The legislative framework aligns Armenia’s documents with EU standards, opening the way for visa liberalization, according to Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan.​ The country has already received the first EU report on the progress of the Visa Liberalization Action Plan, she adds.

New passport and ID card issuance is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026.​ Armenia is currently in the final stages of introducing the new system, which will also support the government’s digitalization policy, notes Sargsyan.

​“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 says.

Under the new rules, ID cards will be mandatory for people aged 16 or older. Persons aged 6 to 16 will be able to receive the document on a voluntary basis, while children under 6 will rely on birth certificates for identification, Armenpress reports.

​All travel documents will comply with ICAO standard 9303. The Central Asian country presented the design of the new passports in April and announced that Armenians will be able to use the documents at contactless border checkpoints.

The new ID system is a result of a private-public partnership (PPP) agreement with Haypass, signed last year. Haypass is a consortium established in 2024 between Idemia Identity Security France and ACI Technology S.à.r.l. to develop the biometric ID infrastructure.

The planned system includes biometric ID cards designed by IN Groupe for foreigners, stateless individuals and permanent residents. IN Groupe acquired the Idemia Smart Identity division last year. Issuance is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026.​

Article Topics

Armenia  |  biometric passport  |  digital ID infrastructure  |  identity document  |  IN Groupe  |  legislation