Information on Safe Migration
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revealing her personal potential, professionally
assisting in the realization of civil and social rights
Biometric passports and ID cards. Who needs them and is it worth changing
Last year, Belarus started issuing biometric documents. People still ask us if they need to change their current passports and switch to the new ones? What are the pros and cons of this? To answer right away – not everyone needs to switch to the new documents. We will try to figure out who really needs biometric documents.
To begin with, let's note that there is a difference between biometric documents: there is a biometric passport and an ID card. The ID card is an internal document for use in Belarus, but for traveling abroad you will need a biometric passport. Anticipating questions, let's note that it is impossible to get a biometric passport without an ID card, only two documents are issued at once. However, if you do not plan to travel abroad, you can get only an ID card.
Do I need to change my passport to a biometric one if I have a valid (blue) one?
It is not necessary for all citizens to get biometric documents; they will be used in parallel with the current Belarusian passport. Therefore, for those who have a valid passport, this is a matter of personal desire only. Biometric documents will be mandatory only for foreign citizens and stateless persons permanently residing in the Republic of Belarus. But even in this case, you can use old documents (for example, a residence permit) until they expire, and only after that, you will need to issue new-format documents.
Why is a biometric passport needed?
The ID card contains more information than a regular passport, so it allows you to resolve some issues more quickly. For example, the owner of a biometric ID card can verify their identity in government agencies and receive services remotely using an electronic digital signature, without having to make a personal visit.
With an ID card, you will be able to apply for other documents and certificates on the internet – they will have the same legal significance as those documents you would receive during a personal visit. An important point: visas stamped in the passport will remain valid (while the passport itself will be canceled upon replacement).
When traveling abroad, you will need to present both a biometric passport and an "old" passport with a valid visa. If you have two passports, you must clarify the possibility of Belarusians entering neighboring countries.
How much do biometric documents cost and where can they be obtained?
The cost of an ID card is 1.5 basic units. It will be cheaper for pensioners and disabled people of groups I and II — for them the cost will be 1 basic unit for an ID card. The cost of a biometric passport is 2 basic units (and 1.5 basic units for citizens under 14 years of age and those who have reached the general retirement age, as well as disabled people of groups I and II).
The deadlines for issuing biometric documents are 15 days in normal mode, 10 in accelerated mode, and 5 in urgent mode.
To get an ID card and a biometric passport, you need to contact the department of citizenship and migration of the internal affairs department at your place of residence; passport photos are taken on site when you apply.
Is it possible to apply for two passports at once, and in what cases might this be useful?
It is not possible to apply for a regular passport and a biometric one at the same time; it is possible to apply for two (but not more) biometric ones. In the second case, one passport can be given to the embassy for issuing the next visa, and you can go abroad with the second one.
Is it possible to issue (exchange) biometric documents abroad?
The issuance (exchange) of biometric documents abroad is carried out at diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Republic of Belarus within 1 month from the date of submission of the application (excluding the time for delivering documents by diplomatic mail).
Calls and written inquiries are temporarily not accepted.
