Lithuania issues passports with biometric data

Since 28 August this year following the EU Regulation, the Republic of Lithuania Law on Passports and the Republic of Lithuania Law on Service Passports, Lithuania has launched the issuance of passports with biometric data, i. e. facial image biometric data entered in the integrated electronic stickers of passports.

Electronic sticker integrated in the second half of data page consists of contactless microprocessors containing memory (chip) and antenna. Cover pages of such passports will be imprinted with special symbol indicating that passport contains electronic media.

Passports with electronic media are no rarity in Lithuania. Since 1 May 2005 passports with biometric data in electronic stickers have been issued to diplomats. However today every citizen who submits a request to issue or to replace passport of the Republic of Lithuania will also be issued with electronic passport.

“Passports with electronic media ensure more effective security of these documents, as well as security of citizens issued with such passports, for they ensure the identity of passport holder,” Secretary of the Ministry Anatolijus Rimkevi ius notes. According to A. Rimkevi iaus, electronic passports are almost impossible to counterfeit. However integrated electronic media containing facial image biometric data cannot be considered the highest security level. “Following the EU Regulation, it is also foreseen to introduce fingerprints biometric data into electronic passports,”

A. Rimkevi ius states. “EU Member States are obliged to implement this Regulation until April 2009. It is planned that Lithuanian citizens will be issued with passports containing fingerprints integrated into electronic media already in 2008.”

By developing security of Lithuanian passport, state charges for this document remain unchanged: state charges for passport issued during one month amount to 60 LTL, passport issued during 5 workdays costs 90 LTL, and passport issued during one workday – 120 LTL.

Security structure of ID card is unchanged yet. “An opportunity of introducing biometric data into the EU citizens ID cards is being discussed as well, however it is left for a future work,” A. Rimkevi ius notes.