Currently, foreigners and stateless persons in Ukraine are being identified on the basis of visa applications for entry into Ukraine, which does not involve the use of their biometric data.

What does the bill offer? First of all, it amends the Law of Ukraine "On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons" in terms of creating legal grounds for collecting biometric information of foreigners and stateless persons in the framework of the visa procedure for entry into and transit through its territory.

Thus, the rules of registration for foreigners and stateless persons visas, submission of their biometric data at the time of visa application and the list of documents required for obtaining it, are set by the CMU. This implies the creation of legal grounds for establishing by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine the procedure for fixing, using and storing biometric data, which will be submitted during the processing of visas.

Importantly, the grounds for refusing a visa are changing.
A foreigner or a stateless person may be refused a visa if the applicant refuses to submit his or her biometric data for their fixation, unless otherwise provided by the law or international treaties of Ukraine.

It is envisaged that foreigners and stateless persons are obliged to submit their biometric data for its recording to the authorized bodies of Ukraine during:

- entry into and departure from Ukraine within the framework of the border control procedure at the border crossing points of Ukraine;

- Temporary / permanent residence permits;

- detention of foreigners and stateless persons in Ukraine in cases specified by law;

- taking measures within the procedure of forcible expulsion of foreigners and stateless persons from Ukraine who have not left the territory of Ukraine within the established term, etc.

As it is stated in the explanatory note, the adoption of the law will allow - to simplify the procedure for identification of foreigners and stateless persons during / after their entry into the territory of Ukraine and to strengthen the fight against the use of counterfeit documents in Ukraine.