In the Vitebsk region, 14-year-old teenagers will be explained the procedure for obtaining passports

June 14, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. An information campaign to explain the conditions for obtaining passports by 14-year-old citizens has been launched in the Vitebsk region, the head of the citizenship and migration department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Internal Affairs Directorate, Tatyana Romashova, told a BELTA correspondent. In connection with the entry into force from August 9 of this year of Decree No. 197, which, along with making additions and changes to the list of administrative procedures carried out by state bodies and other organizations upon applications of citizens, provides for lowering the age threshold for mandatory obtaining of a passport by Belarusian citizens from 16 to 14 years, the citizenship and migration department has begun explanatory work among teenagers and their parents. It is still difficult to name the number of young people who will receive passports for the first time, but Tatyana Romashova is confident that there will be no delays in issuing the main document for either those receiving it for the first time or those who need to replace it. Despite the fact that Article 23.53 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (residing without identity documents) provides for liability for untimely obtaining of a passport, young citizens will not be punished at first. The explanatory work will enter its active phase with the beginning of the academic year. Tatyana Romashova recalled that from August 9, Belarusian citizens will need to change their passport every 10 years - until they receive a passport at the age of 64. According to data for the first five months of this year, 42,810 passports were issued to citizens in the region, while in the first five months of 2011, 37,306 were issued. According to Tatyana Romashova, this difference in volume is due to a sharp increase in the number of passports issued in March - on the eve of an increase in the basic amount. In accordance with the legislation, one month is allocated for passport processing. In the Vitebsk region, passport services usually cope with this task in two weeks. -0-