In Belarus, the age for mandatory passport issuance is being lowered from 16 to 14 years

April 19, Minsk /BELTA/. Additions and amendments have been made to the list of administrative procedures carried out by state bodies and other organizations upon applications from citizens (the list was approved by Decree No. 200 of April 26, 2010) in Belarus. The corresponding Decree No. 197 was signed by the President of Belarus on April 19, the press service of the head of state informed BELTA. The document is designed to maximally facilitate citizens' resolution of everyday issues related to a number of administrative procedures. In accordance with the decree, foreign citizens temporarily residing in Belarus, as well as citizens of Belarus permanently residing outside the country, are granted the right to obtain a driver's license for operating a vehicle, to exchange it, to issue coupons for it, as well as to register vehicles in Belarus by these categories of persons. Foreign citizens permanently residing in Belarus and wishing to hunt are granted the right to acquire and store civilian weapons and ammunition in Belarus, and foreign citizens temporarily residing in Belarus are granted the right to acquire, import into and export from Belarus civilian weapons and ammunition. The decree reduces the age of a citizen of the Republic of Belarus for mandatory passport issuance from 16 to 14 years, which will allow minors who have reached the age of 14 to exercise their rights to perform certain legally significant actions (for example, to deposit funds into banks and dispose of them). The document also provides for the possibility of carrying out procedures for the state registration of immovable property, rights to it and transactions with it in an expedited manner (for an additional fee). In addition, a number of administrative procedures are abolished (for example, issuing a permit for the acquisition of radio-electronic devices, a certificate of registration of a zoological collection) and new administrative procedures are introduced, which are necessary for citizens to exercise their rights provided for by other legislative acts (for example, issuing certificates necessary for the state registration of a garden house or garage received by inheritance, an expert certificate for hunting trophies). Fees for carrying out certain administrative procedures are abolished (for example, processing permanent residence outside the country for a citizen of the Republic of Belarus under the age of 14) or the amount of such fees is reduced (for example, apostille stamping, issuing a duplicate certificate of civil status registration). The decree comes into force three months after its official publication. -0-