DUSHANBE, February 1, 2010, Asia-Plus — To print the first bulk of biometric passports for Tajikistan the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has taken a 24 million somoni (equivalent to US$6 million) credit from the Government, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi told reporters in Dushanbe today.
According to him, the credit is given to the ministry for three years. “The ministry has set fees for biometric passports taking into account the credit,” said Zarifi, “Thus, the fee for diplomatic biometric passports is US$125.00, the fee for the service biometric passport is US$100.00 and the fee for ordinary Tajik biometric passport is US$75.00.”
100,000 blank biometric passports, including 20,000 blank diplomatic biometric passports, 20,000 blank service biometric passports and 60,000 blank ordinary biometric passports, have been printed so far, the minister said, noting that ordinary Tajik biometric passport is issued for 10 years, while the diplomatic and service biometric passports are issued for 5 years.
He added that there was a 50 percent discount for people with disabilities of categories 1 ad 2.
In the meantime, Deputy Foreign Minister, Ms. Ozoda Rahmonova, noted that current diplomatic, service and ordinary Tajik passports would still remain valid along with the biometric passports that were introduced today. “It is connected with the fact that it is still impossible to provide all Tajik nationals with the biometric passports,” said Rahmonova, “The biometric passports will be introduced gradually.”
According to her, five outlets for collection of biometric information have been opened in the country: one at the MFA consulate department with two operators; one at the Interior Ministry migration service with four operators; and three in Khorog, Khujand and Qurghon Teppa with two operators each.
We will recall that that German Muhlbauer has been granted a contract for purchase of blank biometric passports for Tajikistan. A two-stage tender for purchase of blank biometric passports and appropriate equipment, announced by the Agency for State Purchases within the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was held in June 2009. On August 27, 2009, Tajik MFA and German Muhlbauer signed a contract on purchase of blank biometric passports and appropriate equipment for Tajikistan. The document was inked in Dushanbe by Mr. Hamrokhon Zarifi, Foreign Minister of Tajikistan, and Mr. Ludwig Huber, Vice-President of Muhlbauer.
