About biometric documents

The Ministry of Communications and Informatization, in order to ensure the readiness of state bodies and organizations for the introduction of biometric documents in the Republic of Belarus and the creation of the Belarusian Integrated Service and Settlement System (hereinafter referred to as BISS), hereby informs about the following.

The introduction of a new identity verification system using biometric documents is planned from January 2, 2020. The system provides for the sequential development of services and the gradual issuance of biometric documents (biometric passports and identification cards (hereinafter referred to as ID cards)).

A biometric passport will be required for travel abroad. The biometric passport will contain an application of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO module) for interaction with the International Civil Aviation Organization's Public Key Directory.

ID cards will serve as internal identity documents and will be necessary for performing operations using electronic digital signatures and for identification (identity verification) based on the data contained in the cryptographic token module.

authentication (hereinafter referred to as CTA). The ID card will also contain an ICAO module.

The data groups contained directly in the ID card are defined by STB 34.101.79. The data groups include: identification number, full name, date of birth, gender, date of issue and expiry, citizenship, place of birth, and the issuing country.  

Please note that the ID card will not contain information about the place of registration of its owner. Information about the place of registration and other additional data can be obtained from information systems integrated with the State Automated Information System (hereinafter referred to as SAIS).

For the purpose of providing services and interacting with ID cardsin addition to integration with OAIS, it is necessary to ensure that the ID card readers used are compatible with the NXP 71D321 chip, which will be used in the ID card. The purchase of readers can be carried out, including from the manufacturer OJSC "Promsvyaz".

Organizations for interaction within the framework of BISRS need to integrate with OAIS. The integration methodology is posted on the website of RUP "NCEU": https://nces.by/wp-content/uploads/Metodika-inregraciya-gir.pdf. You can obtain the necessary information on integration by contacting the electronic services operator directly - RUP "NCEU".

It is recommended to purchase readers and integrate systems with OAIS in advance in order to be operationally ready to work with biometric documents.

The use of BISRS implies a gradual phasing out of paper documents and not an immediate replacement of paper passports with ID cards.