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Armenia has officially introduced a new biometric identity document system. Private company HayPass opened its first branch at Yerevan Mall on 31 October.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was the office’s first visitor. He was accompanied to the service centre by Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan, Head of the Migration and Citizenship Service Nelli Davtyan and HayPass head Régis Bauchiere.
Sargsyan presented the procedures for collecting biometric data and issuing documents, service arrangements and the facilities provided for citizens. The prime minister personally went through the process of applying for new documents, providing the necessary biometric data.
Under a public-private partnership, HayPass will provide services for issuing next-generation biometric passports and identity cards.
Sargsyan highlighted the creation of infrastructure meeting high security standards. She said the new biometric system would take the protection of Armenian citizens’ personal data to a new level, eliminating identity theft.
“This has been a very complex and challenging task for us because we did not have the knowledge and skills needed to introduce this new system in Armenia independently. I am pleased to say that, through a public-private partnership, we have managed to compress seven to eight years of work into around one year on a very tight schedule,” Sargsyan said.
HayPass head Régis Bauchiere said advanced technologies and security systems had been incorporated into the new infrastructure to protect citizens’ personal data.
“At this service centre, we receive citizens who come to have their biometric data collected so that they can obtain identity documents. This is a major change because, under the new procedure, applicants begin the process online by providing the necessary information, booking an appointment and making a payment. Only then can they visit the service centres.
“I would also note that the design of the new identity document, selected by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, combines distinctive aesthetic features with sophisticated security mechanisms. A colour photograph laser-engraved into polycarbonate is an exceptional solution globally, making Armenia’s new biometric passport one of the world’s most secure documents,” Bauchiere said.
Minutes after HayPass’s first branch opened, the first pre-registered applicants had their biometric data collected. Applicants for a new biometric passport or identity card must pre-register through the relevant platforms launched today on the official websites of the Migration and Citizenship Service and HayPass, the private company providing the service.
Head of the Migration and Citizenship Service Nelli Davtyan said people who had difficulty registering online could visit HayPass service centres and complete that stage on site. She said citizens could obtain the necessary advice at Migration and Citizenship Service centres, which would continue operating for the time being.
“In Yerevan, services will be available Monday to Sunday, from 09:00 to 22:00. There will be two service offices in the capital. Another 12 offices will open in the regions from this coming Monday. Regional offices will operate from 09:00 to 18:00. By the first quarter of 2027, we will bring the total number of offices nationwide to 23,” Davtyan said.
The new biometric passport will cost AMD 28,650, while an identity card will cost AMD 5,950. The new biometric documents will be issued within 14 working days.