IOM Supports Armenian Government

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have joined efforts to assist the Government of the Republic of Armenia (RA) to modernise and improve the country’s identification and travel document systems.  The initiative stems from a request from the RA Police and RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is in support of the March 2008 Presidential Order “On the Conception for Migration Systems of the Republic of Armenia and for Introduction of the System of Electronic Passports and Identification Cards with Biometric Parameters in the Republic of Armenia.”  The Order calls for implementation of electronic passports and identification cards with biometric parameters beginning in 2011. 

The joint IOM-OSCE project entitled “Support to the Armenian Government in Introduction of Identity and Travel Documents with Biometric Parameters”, seeks to develop a national action plan for introducing an electronically enabled machine-readable passport in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Armenia. 

The action plan will serve as a detailed roadmap for the RA Government when introducing the new identity and travel documents.  In addition, project activities include: expert consultations with governmental authorities and development of a needs assessment; a training programme on Biometrics and ID management for key government departments; and a study visit to European countries having passport and identification documents with biometric parameters. IOM international experts are currently working with specialists from the E-Governance Infrastructure Implementation Unit to finalize the current technical requirements for the e-passport and e-ID card.

The Project is funded by the IOM 1035 Facility and the OSCE Secretariat,Action against Terrorism Unit (ATU), and is intended to support the facilitation of regional movement outlined in the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) Armenia Action Plan and the EU Eastern Partnership Project. 

Project partners include the RA Police, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economy and its E-Governance Infrastructure Implementation Unit, the Central Bank, National Security Service, Ministry of Justice Civil Status Acts Registration Agency, Civil Aviation General Department, State Revenues Committee, and the National Assembly.