18. 01. 10. - 16:00

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18. 01. 10. - 16:00

New biometric passports introduced

Croatian Times

Old passports will be replaced by new biometric passports in Croatia starting today (Mon).

The new passports will comply with EU security standards. The standardised biometrics used for that type of identification system are facial and fingerprint recognition and personal identification numbers.

Croats will pay 390 kunas (53 Euros) or, on an expedited basis, 630 kunas (86 Euros) for the new passports.

The passports, valid from five to ten years, may be obtained at any police station.

The old passports will be valid until their expiry.

The Croatian ministry of interior claims the new passports have the highest security standards and it is practically impossible to make fakes that will pass muster.

Zarko Katic from the ministry of interior said that, when ministry officials had tested the passports, they had even put them into washing machines and microwaves but the special chips in them had remained unharmed.

Croatia is the third country in Europe to introduce such passports. France and Germany were the first two.

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