Bulgaria is slowly phasing out applications for old-style ID documents, ahead of the introduction of new passports with biometric data on March 29 2010.

As of March 15, old-style ID documents can only be applied for using the express and fast procedures, which take eight hours or three days, respectively, Bulgarian-language media said.

From March 17, the fast procedure will also be stopped and old-style documents can only be applied for using the express procedure.

From March 29, only new-style ID documents, which contain biometric data, will be issued, initially only using the regular procedure. From April 6, applications for the new-style documents can also be filed using the fast and express procedures.

The changes apply to all Bulgarian ID documents, including Bulgarian passports and Bulgarian drivers' licences, as well as the so-called Lichna Karta for Bulgarians and residency permits for foreigners that will also have biometric data. 

The introduction of ID documents with biometric data was a requirement for the country to join the European Union (EU) and was originally scheduled to be in use before EU accession in January 2007, but was later rescheduled, with a final deadline in mid-2009.

In late June 2009, just weeks before national elections, when presenting the technology that would be used to produce Bulgaria's new biometric passports, then interior minister Mihail Mikov proudly announced the country would start issuing the documents "no later than January 2010".

At the time Mikov said he expected the ministry would actually be ready by October 2009, but issuing would not start until January to allow any last minute problems to be resolved.

In September 2009, Deputy Interior Minister Veselin Vuchkov announced the date would be pushed back to March 2010 as the selection of the company to produce that passports was disputed in front of the Supreme Administrative Court.