Gov't approves shorter deadline for issuing simple electronic passports

"At today's government meeting, at the proposal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a government decision was adopted amending and supplementing the methodological norms for the application of the Law on the Free Movement of Romanian Citizens Abroad. There are changes that simplify the procedures and contribute to the reduction of the deadlines. Thus, the deadline for issuing simple electronic passports is reduced from 30 to 15 working days counting from the date of filing the applications," Barbu told a news conference at the Government House. 

He added that the decision introduces changes in the case of applications filed for passports abroad. 

"As regards the applications filed abroad, the current term is 90 days and will be reduced according to the country where the applicant is located, as follows: 45 working days in the case of applications submitted in the diplomatic missions and consular offices of Romania in the member states of the European Union and 60 working days in the case of applications filed in third countries, namely countries that are not part of the European Union," Barbu said. 

He added that another amendment provides for simplification of the conditions to be met for the issuance of temporary simple passports to minors travelling abroad to undergo medical treatment without which their life or health is endangered by "establishing the need for authorised translation, instead of notarised, as currently requested, of the documents issued by the foreign establishment that is to provide that medical treatment". 

"At the same time, the strict obligation of producing the original certificate of birth for the under-14s when collecting their simple electronic or temporary passport is repealed, meaning that the copy thereof is also accepted," said Barbu.

AGERPRES