Ministry of Internal Affairs: ID cards to replace biometric passports

As the press service of the Interior Ministry reported, from January 1, 2021, all newborns, Uzbek citizens, stateless persons and foreign citizens, residing permanently in the country, will be issued ID-card as a document proving the identity and nationality of its owner for a period of 10 years, replacing the biometric passport.

ID cards will be valid exclusively in the territory of Uzbekistan. To travel abroad, one needs to have an international passport issued. 

Issuance of ID-cards will be carried out systematically without any additional burden for the country’s population from January 1, 2021, to January 1, 2030.

At the same time, the replacement of previously issued biometric passports of a citizen of Uzbekistan (2011 model), residence permits for stateless persons and foreign citizens will be carried out when they expire or ahead of schedule at the request of their owners.

From January 1, 2030, biometric passports of the 2011 model will be considered invalid.

“The transition to the system of issuing ID-cards is carried out taking into account the experience of developed foreign countries and will accelerate the implementation of a system of digital identification of citizens. It will automate the process of integrating primary data of citizens with information systems of ministries and departments of the republic, will optimize the process of providing public services to the population”, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said.