ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT SIMPLIFIES PROCEDURE OF ISSUING PASSPORTS TO UNDER-AGE CITIZENS

ARKA
July 31, 2008

YEREVAN, July 31. /ARKA/. Armenian government has changed the order
of issuing passports to under-age citizens for trips abroad. Chief
of Armenian Police Alik Sargsyan told reporters the amendments have
been made as part of a general passport system reform.

"The system had many legislative and normative drawbacks and omissions
resulting in a number of obstacles and bureaucratic barriers," he said.

Sargsyan said the results of the reform can already be felt now.

Under the previous order, children under 16 were issued passports at
the age of one, three, seven, twelve and sixteen.

"Foreign diplomatic missions often refused to issue visas to the
children whose passport validity would expire in half or one year. On
the other side, passport departments refused to issue new passports
before the validity period expired," he said.

Now children have the right to be issued passports with a validity
period of three years any time they want. Passports are issued at
the request of parents or their authorized person.

No restrictions or additional financial costs have been
introduced.