New Moldovan passports have an advanced level of security. Price remains the same
New passport models for Moldovan citizens. Those who will perfect their passports from now on will have a more secure document. Authorities say fraud is virtually impossible. The IDs are made of polycarbonate and have better security features. But the price remains the same - 650 lei for a passport issued within 20 days.
The new passport model has more security features. Some can be seen with the naked eye, others - only under laboratory conditions.
"In total, there are 45 security features and 43 types of material used. At the ASP, the personalisation stage of the document takes place and at this stage security features are also included ", says the head of the ASP production centre, Gheorghe Tricolici.
Most changes have been made to the structure of the page containing the passport holder's identity data. This page, which was previously made of paper, will be replaced by a polycarbonate one.
According to the director of the Public Services Agency, Mircea Eșanu, the price of the new model remains the same at 650 lei, after the authorities uncovered a scheme whereby a royalty fee of 13.6 euros was paid when each passport was issued, with the money being transferred to a foreign company. From 2014 to 2021, the scheme cost Moldovans more than €41 million.
"We, in the current formula of the chip passport, we have been producing it since 2011 - 2012. This technology is already more than 20 years old, 20 years means that these technologies are obsolete and easily accessible to those who want to forge these travel documents", says Mircea Eșanu.
Every year, the Public Services Agency produces more than 500 000 passports.
"Here we have installed new equipment, upgraded and put into operation a few days ago, as well as a new personalisation programme, which was tested and put into operation last week. The production capacity of this equipment is 60 thousand passports per month ", says the head of the production centre, Gheorghe Tricolici.
The ASP director says that once Moldova becomes a candidate country for EU membership, it will have to follow certain rules. Instead of identity cards, Moldovans will be issued with identity cards, which will allow them to travel to the EU.
