French company signed a contract with the cost of US$75.1 million euros with the State Personalization System under the Cabinet of Ministers on the results of the close tender within the project “Creating biometric passport system in Uzbekistan”.

It is expected that loans of Societe Generale will be attracted for project financing under guarantee of the government, which will be refinanced through National Bank of Uzbekistan.

Equipment and special tools, including spare parts and components, supplied within the project will be exempted from customs duties.

The Government of Uzbekistan was planning to launch the first stage of biometric passports introduction from 1 January 2010. But, in January 2010, the Uzbek President signed the decree to shift introduction date for a year.

In the first stage, employees of ministries and state bodies of Uzbekistan and individuals, traveling abroad, as well as citizens, who are receiving new passports, will get biometric passports.

All citizens of Uzbekistan will receive new passports in the second stage (2012-2016).

Biometric passports are introduced in Uzbekistan in order to ensure security of international civic aviation, improve protection of passports from falsification, improve mechanism on timely and clear identification of person identity, passing border, improving quality and efficiency of international air transportation.