During the Digital Industry of Industrial Russia (CIPR) conference, Vasily Shpak, the deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, informed reporters that the total order of chips for biometric passports to the Mikron semiconductor plant in Zelenograd, Russia amounts to around 4 million pieces this year.
Shpak clarified that Mikron has already produced 1.5 million chips and will continue to work according to their contractual obligations, as they had never ceased production despite being unable to satisfy all demand due to a lack of capacity and challenges related to obtaining necessary raw materials and chemicals However, all issues have now been resolved.
The suspension of accepting applications for new passports occurred on February 2, 2023, due to heavy demand for microcircuits that are embedded in passport blanks. Goznak had explained that Mikron required equipment reconfiguration to fulfill future demand for microchips. Subsequently, the issuance of foreign passports with electronic data carriers resumed on June 1, 2023, and applicants may now apply at State Services.
