Uzbekistan to issue ID-cards instead of biometric passport since early 2021

Tashkent, Mar.9, 2020. /Kabar/. Since Jan.1, 2021, Uzbekistan will issue ID-cards as a document proving the identity and citizenship of its holder for 10 years instead of biometric passport. This is required under the relevant Uzbek government decree, the press service of the Interior Ministry of the republic said.

ID-cards will be issued to all newborns, citizens of the republic, stateless persons and foreign nationals permanently residing in the country.

“The transition to the system of ID-cards issuance is carried out taking into account the experience of developed foreign countries, and will accelerate the introduction of digital identification of citizens, maximize automation of the process of integration of citizens' primary data with information systems of ministries and departments of Uzbekistan, facilitate and optimize the process of providing public services to the population,” the document says.

ID-cards will be valid only on the territory of Uzbekistan. A biometric passport (foreign passport) is issued to citizens of Uzbekistan to travel abroad.

The issuance of ID-cards will be carried out smoothly without any additional burden for the population in the period from Jan.1, 2021 to Jan.1, 2030.

At the same time, replacement of previously issued biometric passports of citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan of the 2011 standard, residence permits for stateless persons and foreign citizens will be carried out as they expire or ahead of schedule at the request of their owners.

From Jan.1, 2030 biometric passports of Uzbek citizens of the 2011 standard will be considered invalid.