The number of applications for obtaining the Moldovan passport submitted by people from Transnistria this year rose by over 4,500. On July 31, 2014, the Transnistrians were issued with 13,727 passports, as against 9,207 in the corresponding period last year, the State Information Resources Center “Registru” has told IPN.

At the Agency’s inquiry, “Registru” answered that the number of applicants for biometric passports in May - July rose by 62% compared with the corresponding period last year given that the Moldovans can travel based on the biometric passport only in the Schengen Area from April 28.

According to statistics from the State Population Register, 155,459 passports were issued in May – July this year, as opposed to 94,308 in the corresponding period of 2013. The number of applications in the period remained high, with a slight increase in July.

The service to issue the passport of the citizen of the Republic of Moldova, including to persons settled abroad, is provided by any local document issuing section, regardless of the applicant’s place of residence. The document issuing sections work from Tuesday through Saturday, between 8am and 5pm, without lunch break. The Centru sections of Chisinau, Balti and Comrat municipalities work according to a special program, including on the nonworking days. The elderly persons and the persons with disabilities and with children younger than 3 are given priority.

According to the data provided by “Registru”, the number of applications filed to the document issuing sections in rural areas has increased starting with April. For example, in April there were submitted about 14,000 applications, in May – over 18,000, in June – almost 24,000, while in July – more than 27,000.

New generating passports with dark red cover will be put into circulation this month.