Starting from June 1, 2025, Lithuania will stop recognising non-biometric international passports issued by Russia.
The new changes, confirmed through a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, come in a bid to enforce national security after passports without biometric data are easier to forge, thus there is a greater risk of their illegal use, Schengen.News reports.
In this regard, Lithuania’s Minister of the Interior, Vladislav Kondratovich, said that the decision is needed in the changed geopolitical situation, stressing that it is in line with Lithuania’s security interests.
In exceptional cases, requests from citizens of the Russian Federation – representatives of the democratic opposition, independent media or society – to enter Lithuania with a non-biometric passport will be accepted if the purpose of their arrival meets the interests of the Lithuanian state.
Lithuania Adopted Decision on May 23
On May 23, Lithuania’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of the Interior adopted a joint order to no longer recognize non-biometric passports from Russia as valid documents for entry into Lithuania.
However, it was emphasized that there would be some exemptions applied, which include transit travel of RF through Lithuania by rail from Königsberg to RF and back.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kęstutis Budrys, said that with this decision, Lithuania joins other EU countries that have already introduced such measures.
The Minister said that it will soon be two years since the restriction on the movement of Russian special services employees in the Schengen Zone.
As you know, some of the most high-profile terrorist attacks in Europe were carried out by the same GRU agents who arrived with other passports. It is more difficult to forge identities with biometric passports, so our citizens will also be able to feel safer.
The decision was made as non-biometric international passports issued by Russia do not comply with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
They do not have unique biometric data (fingerprints, facial image) integrated into biometric passports that ensure reliable identity verification, and thus are more easily forged or pose a higher risk of unauthorized use.
At present, non-biometric passports of Russia are no longer recognized by several other European countries, among them the following ones: Denmark, Czechia, Estonia, France, and Iceland.