The Ministry of the Interior signed an agreement for the delivery of passports in foreign countries via a courier service
The agreement signed at the Ministry of the Interior enables the delivery of an identity document more conveniently than before. DHL Express Estonia won the tender organized for the service.
According to the Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets, a solution for the delivery of passports has been long awaited and its purpose is to make the receipt of documents easier and more convenient for people. The need for this service increased considerably during the COVID crisis when the movement of people was restricted but documents still needed to be updated. "The issue is particularly relevant in foreign countries with large Estonian communities – for example, in the USA, where you have to travel to foreign embassies to obtain new documents, and in some cases it may involve a large number of flight hours or a long journey by car," Läänemets explained.
"Now we are ready for a situation that, if desired, a person can receive a passport without leaving home. In this way, we save people's time, but also reduce the workload of foreign missions," Läänemets added.
Veiko Kommusaar, Undersecretary for Internal Security of the Ministry of the Interior, stated that the service differs from a regular courier service in terms of higher security requirements. "The state must ensure that documents are not applied for under a false identity and that documents are not handed over to the wrong person. This means that we take security very seriously. For example, the courier service provider is responsible for organizing the safe transport of the consignment during the entire journey of the consignment. The courier is also responsible for handing the passport over only to the authorized person. The passport is transported in an invalid status and the Police and Border Guard Board makes the passport valid only after the receipt of confirmation that the person has received the document," Kommusaar said.
This agreement concerns only passports. An ID card, as a high-level authentication and digital signature tool, can still be obtained from foreign missions or honorary consuls, this option remains for passports as well. "The implementation of delivery of ID cards by courier is also planned but due to the fact that it is a tool with which you can reliably authenticate yourself and give a digital signature equivalent to a handwritten signature, the security requirements are stricter and the preparation of the process requires more time. The Police and Border Guard Board is already running a new procurement of documents in ID1 format and the delivery of the ID card by courier is one part of it. A new agreement for the production of ID cards will come in 2025," explained Kommusaar.
According to the forecast of the Police and Border Guard Board, approximately 5,000 passports of Estonian citizens will be delivered to foreign countries in the following years. When choosing a courier service, the applicants of the document pay for it themselves and the
cost of the service depends on the location – for example, 71.95 euros in the USA and 63.69 euros in the UK. In Lithuania, the price is 48.93 euros.
The provision of the service requires IT developments in the information systems of the Police and Border Guard Board, and according to Minister Lauri Läänemets, the aim is to start the delivery of passports by courier in spring 2023 at the latest.
Further information:
Veiko Pesur, Communication Adviser Ministry of the Interior
Tel 5353 3324
