site.btaInterior Ministry Starts Issuing New-Generation Identity Cards

As from June 17, 2024, the Bulgarian Interior Ministry's Bulgarian Identity Documents Directorate is introducing a new-model Bulgarian identity card, the Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.

For enhanced security, the document will contain, in addition to the holder's photograph, also an electronic record of fingerprint and facial biometric data.

The new-general identity card enables Bulgarian citizens travelling to EU Member States to use the Automated Border Crossing (ABC) system as the ID card is an electronic machine readable travel document (e-MRTD) qualifying the holder for self-service border passage through an e-gate. The new card also facilitates and speeds up control by third-country border authorities.

Replacement of the personal document is not compulsory, and the ID cards issued will be valid until their expiry, the press release specified. Old-generation cards issued until June 16, 2024 inclusive will be valid until August 2, 2031 unless they have expired before that. Persons who turn 58 will no longer be issued identity cards with indefinite validity. Persons aged 18 to 70 will be issued cards valid for 10 years. Persons aged 70 and older will be able to choose between cards valid for 10 or 30 years.