PASSPORT VALIDITY TERMS TO BE PROLONGED FOR 5 MORE YEARS IN CASE OF THEIR FITNESS FOR USE

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, NOYAN TAPAN. It would be right to introduce the
institute of double citizenship through constitutional reforms. Alvina
Zakarian, Chief of RA Passport and Visa Department, expressed such
an opinion during the April 6 meeting with journalists. According to
her, the ban on double citizenship in the current Constitution creates
great obstacles for RA citizens abroad in issues of getting education,
job, etc. A. Zakarian said that by the decrees of RA President RA
citizenship was given to 25 former citizens of other countries and
126 persons were deprived of RA citizenship in the first quarter of
the current year. In 2004 RA citizenship was given to 248 persons and
425 persons were deprived of RA citizenship. In the first quarter of
the current year 28 foreign citizens were given residence permit for
a 3-year term, 156 persons for a 1-year term, 644 foreign citizens
were given a special residence permit. According to A. Zakarian, 53
469 passports were printed in the first quarter of 2005, including
1633 passports for 16-year-old under age persons. And in 1995-2004
2 mln, 676 thousand, 240 passports of RA citizens were printed. It
was mentioned that unlike the first batch of passports that are more
vulnerable from point of view of protectability the passports of the
second batch have a number of protective features. It’s planned to
enter photos to the passports by a digital method from the beginning
of 2006. A. Zakarian also reported that though the passport validity
term is 10 years, according to the respective government decree,
the term is prolonged by 5 more years in case of its fitness for use.