YEREVAN.- The introduction of biometric passports and ID cards in Armenia is postponed, chief of passport and visa department Norayr Muradkhanyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“The system was scheduled to be introduced in September 2011, but we will hardly manage to do it. It is postponed till early 2012,” he said stressing the reason for delay is lack of agreement with one of the relevant companies.

According to him, the introduction of e-passports and identity cards (the first - to travel abroad, the second - for internal use) will increase the level of document security and reduce level of document forgery.

“Besides, the introduction of new system is a requirement of the EU and the UN,” he added.

Identification cards will be compulsory for all citizens of Armenia aged 16. The ID-card will contain a chip with name of a citizen, date and place of birth, photo and e-signature.

E-passports will contain personal data, as well as prints of two fingers.

Under the decree of Armenian President the process was launched in 2008.