В 2023 году жителям Литвы выдали самое большое за последние 10 лет количество удостоверений личности, сообщают журналисты телеканала LNK.
В the Vilnius branch of the Migration Department, there are no queues, but there is movement — people are changing their documents.
«You have to be prepared to run away from here as soon as possible,» said one man who came to the Migration Department for a passport.
«We are changing documents because we don’t know what to expect. Just in case,» said a woman. The man who came with her said that «you have to not be afraid of war and be strong.»
Another man said he doesn’t feel fear, he is changing documents because it’s time. Several other people said the same thing.
In 2003, they started issuing new identity cards and passports, so every 10 years the demand for new documents increases, as it was in 2013 and in 2023.
«Last year we issued a record number of passports and identity cards. A total of 750,000,» said Evelyn Gudzinskaite, the director of the Migration Department.
However, the record of 2013 was not broken — at that time, 100,000 more documents were issued.
«Why wasn’t the record broken? Because in 2022, when the war started, many residents changed their documents in advance,» Gudzinskaite explained.
The authorities are urging residents not to be afraid.
«The document is needed, but there is no need to panic,» said the head of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense.
He said that we will notice the danger in advance.
«The pre-notification system that the West has is much stronger and more powerful than that of the Russian Federation. Therefore, we will notice any war simulation in advance,» said the deputy.
Documents can be made within one day, within 5 working days, and within a month. There are no live queues at the department, you have to book a visit time in advance.
Only disabled people, elderly people, and those who want to get a document on the same day can do it without an appointment.
