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Foreign Ministry: Ukrainians to travel to EU without biometric passports
Ukrainian citizens will travel to EU member states on the basis of valid foreign passports (without the requirement that they be biometric) until the visa-free regime between the EU and Ukraine is introduced.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Dykusarov said this at a briefing on Tuesday, a UKRINFORM correspondent reported.
"In accordance with the current EU requirements, Ukrainian citizens will still be able to travel to EU member states on the basis of valid foreign passports (without the requirement that they be biometric) and valid visas," he said.
The spokesman said that EU legislation stipulates that citizens cross the external borders of the EU on the basis of valid travel documents and, if required, visas.
"Reports in some Ukrainian media about the alleged introduction by the European Union from June 1, 2013 of the requirement that third country nationals have biometric travel documents are untrue," Dykusarov said.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the requirement about the introduction in Ukraine of biometric travel documents for traveling abroad is contained in the action plan on the liberalization by the European Union of visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens.
"After the implementation of the action plan and the introduction of the visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens, the presence of such biometric documents will be the necessary prerequisite for Ukrainian citizens to be able to exercise their right of entry to EU member states," Dykusarov said.
Source: UkrInform
