Interior Ministry confirms passport scandal reported by Top Channel

17/08/2015 00:00

The Albanian Interior Ministry confirmed today the passport scandal
reported one day ago by Top Channel, saying that there are 156 000 cases
of passports issued for children aged 0-16 with a ten year validity
period instead of 5. The Ministry also declared they had suggested since
autumn 2013 to extend the validation period for those passports to 6
years, in order to give citizens some time to obtain the new biometric
passports.

The proposal was approved in Parliament in April 2014, and simultaneously the ministry informed all passport holders from April 2009 to July 2010 for this change, and since August 2014 has continued to do so in border check points, Civil Registry Offices, Police Departments, newspapers and online media, and from Albanian embassies and consulates offices for those living abroad.

The Interior Ministry informed they have taken all the necessary measures, such as extending personnel and working hours, to cope with the large numbers of requests for new passports in this time of the year, due to the returning migrants.

Top Channel