Albania Sees Surge in Demand for Biometric Passports

Millions of Albanians have applied for the latest “biometric” passport just months after the country was granted visa free travel across the European Union.

Besar Likmeta

Tirana

Hollywood actress with Albanian decent, Eliza Dushku, poses with her Albanian passport | Photo courtesy of www.km.gov.al

To date, two million applications have been received for the new style of passport which is considered harder to falsify than a traditional passport.

Biometric passports record more personal data from an individual – such as their fingerprint- and store this on a microchip imprinted on the passport.

Traditional passports only contain a photograph and basic information about the holder.

There has also been a surge in the issuance of new identity cards. Ferdinand Poni, deputy minister of the interior in Albania, said 2.8 million new identity cards had been distributed since the application process began.

These new identity cards are being seen as increasingly important by Albanians as more and more government agencies require them for basic legal procedures –such as filing a law suit.

The issuing of biometric documents was one of the conditions set by European authorities in order for Albania and Bosnia to join the White Schengen list.

Visa-free travel to the EU took effect for Albania on 15 December 2010 allowing it citizens to travel to a total of 28 nations that are inside Europe’s borderless Schengen zone or aspire to join it.