One of the most visible and welcome developments is that holders of biometric passports will soon be able to cross Armenia’s border through e-gates, or electronic border control gates. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said this while presenting the 2027 draft state budget to the National Assembly.
“What is distinctive about this? It is that there is no contact with any service officer, and this system is already in operation in many countries.
This opportunity will first be introduced at Zvartnots Airport and subsequently at all border crossing points in Armenia, without exception,” Pashinyan said, adding that negotiations should later be launched with other countries to make these services available to Armenian citizens abroad as well. At the same time, he noted that each country has its own regulations and specific features, and that there is an agenda for making these services mutually accessible.
“What is distinctive about this? The key requirement is that there must be comparative reference information. When a biometric passport is presented, the system needs to have something to compare it against to verify whether the person is indeed the individual they claim to be,” he said.
