OnDecember 29, 2014,the interagency meeting regarding implementation of the Visa Liberalization Action Plan particularly issuing of biometric passports was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for the European Integration Ms. Olena Zerkal.
During the meeting representatives of the State Migration Service of Ukraine confirmed its readiness to issue biometric passports from January, 2015. To realize this goal 30 divisions of migration service in regions and Kyiv have been provided with all necessary equipment and will start to receive documents for issuing biometric passports from January 5, 2015. As of January 1, 2015 the State Migration Service is ready to ensure the issuance of 25 thousand of biometric passports per month.
However, the issuance of biometric passports does not mean visa-free travelling to the Schengen countries till the relevant EU decision.
In February and March 2015 additional expert missions on evaluating the implementation of the second phase of the Visa Liberalization Action Plan for Ukraine will take place in Kyiv. According to the results the European Commission will present to the EU Member States report on implementation of Action Plan’s criteria made by Ukraine.
The EU Council and the European Parliament will take decision on the introduction of visa-free regime based on appropriate suggestions of the EC.