The resolution of the Montreal Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) of 2004 states that its member countries should not later than 2010 introduce civil passports with electronic carrier containing personal information about biometric parameters and identifying information of the owners, and having a high degree of protection.

Passports with biometric data are introduced to increase the safety of the international civil air navigation, enhance the security of identity documents against possible counterfeiting, improve mechanisms for rapid and accurate identification when crossing the state border, and raise the quality and efficiency of international air transportations.

Passports with biometric parameters, manufactured using modern information technologies, have already been introduced in many countries.

According to deputy head of Entry/exit and citizenship department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Alisher Toshmetov, the respective bodies have examined the experience of foreign countries that have already introduced passport with electronic information.

The plan of introduction of biometric passports consists of two stages. At the first stage (during 2010) the new passports will be issued to employees of ministries and state departments, as well as individuals traveling or residing abroad, and citizens receiving or changing their passports.

On stage two (2011-2015), all other citizens of Uzbekistan will be provided with new passports.

To obtain a new passport, citizens should apply to the territorial internal affairs departments at the place of their permanent residence, while citizens living abroad should contact consular offices of the Foreign Ministry.

Their applications and data are then sent to the National Personalization Center, which , prepares biometric passports.

To date, all entry/exit and citizenship departments across the country have allocated special rooms for staff working with biometric passports and are being provided with required equipment and inventory.

The existing citizen’s passports were introduced in Uzbekistan on 1 January 1995.