Armenia sets fees, rollout for new biometric ID under PPP model

Armenia has released the pricing for its new biometric national ID and passport documents as the country prepares to roll them out any time between September and November.

Speaking during a recent press conference on August 14, the acting head of the Migration and Citizenship Service, Nelly Davtyan, said the ID card will cost 5,950 drams (about US$15), while the passport will go for 28,650 drams (approximately US$74), News AM reports.

The official justified that the new fees are higher than previous ones, given that the new identity documents have been designed in line with the highest international standards. The current passport costs 25,000 drams (US$68.4).

Davtyan explained that already, efforts are being made by the government to prepare the ground for the rollout which will happen in phases. The first phase, she disclosed, will see the opening of at least 14 private offices as officials aim for increased access to identity services. Phase 2 is planned to launch by March 2027 with the number of offices expected to be expanded to 23 across the country.

Armenia’s new biometric national ID and passport infrastructure is being delivered via a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) which is increasingly becoming the go-to model for digital public infrastructure. Haypass, a local firm established through a consortium involving French identity giant Idemia and A.C.I. Technology, is the overall technology partner of the project, managing system implementation, infrastructure and offices. IN Groupe later acquired Idemia Smart Identity, the entity that co-formed Haypass.

At the ID4Africa AGM in Abidjan, biometrics executives made the case for the PPP model in developing DPI, citing examples in several countries including Honduras where Tech5 is involved. Liberia is also sorting out a PPP arrangement with OSD International for the modernization of its identity infrastructure.

Based on a legislative framework that was adopted in May, Armenia’s national ID card is now mandatory for everyone from 16 years of age, and having one will be a prerequisite for obtaining a passport which will have a 10-year validity. It will be optional for children between 6 and 16, and it will take 14 working days to process.

The government says old-format ID cards and passports currently in use will continue to be valid, but their production will stop when the new generation system goes live in the autumn.

Article Topics

Armenia  |  biometric passport  |  IN Groupe  |  national ID  |  public-private partnerships