Kazakhstan to start taking fingerprints of children

Tengrinews.kz - A new draft order from the Kazakh Ministry of Internal Affairs proposes that fingerprints be collected from minors in Kazakhstan. The draft regulations have been published on the "Open NPA" portal.

The draft rules for fingerprint registration specify that the collection of biometric data will be carried out by law enforcement agencies in the following cases:

For Kazakh citizens applying for their first identity card or passport, or for the replacement or restoration of these documents, with their consent.

For children aged 12 to 16 applying for a citizen’s passport of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Additionally, foreigners and stateless individuals aged 16 and older will also be required to provide fingerprints if they:

Apply for a temporary or permanent residence permit in Kazakhstan.

Apply for, renew, or replace: a residence permit, a stateless person’s certificate, a refugee certificate, or a travel document.

“The collection of fingerprint information includes taking 10 fingerprints or palm prints of both hands and entering these data into the information system," the document says.

It is noted that, children will be fingerprinted in the presence and with the consent of their legal representatives.