MIA urges citizens to replace expired passports to ID cards as soon as possible

As the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported, from January 1, 2021 to the present, about 2 million citizens have received ID cards instead of old-style passports.

“Due to the fact that the validity of biometric passports is coming to an end, we recommend replacing them with ID cards,” the ministry said in a statement.

It is noted that, according to Article 223 of the Administrative Responsibility Code, living without a passport or ID card or with an invalid passport entails a fine of 0.5-3 BCAs (from 150,000 to 900,000 soums).

“Therefore, we ask citizens to immediately replace expired biometric passports with ID cards,” the Interior Ministry said.

It should be recalled that biometric (green) passports of the 2011 sample are valid until the expiration date indicated in the passport. Citizens must exchange their passports for ID cards before this period expires. 

Even if the passport has not expired, it can be voluntarily replaced with an ID card.

For issuing a card, a state duty is charged in the amount of 89% of the BCA (267,000 soums).

The ID card will be issued within 1 working day after receiving the relevant documents.

When elderly and disabled people in need of assistance apply for an ID card, the responsible official will issue the card at their place of residence within 15 days (at no additional charge).

ID-card is issued to:

•  newborns up to a year – for a period of two years (at the discretion of parents, guardians (custodians);
•  children from one year to 16 years old – for a period of 5 years (at the discretion of parents, guardians);
•  people from 16 to 60 years old – for a period of 5 years;
•  persons over 60 years old – for 10 years.