The Moldovans living or working abroad can apply for old-type, non-biometric passports by December 31, 2011. Such a decision was taken because the equipment needed to make biometric passports at Moldova’s embassies and consular offices abroad has not been yet installed, Minister of Information and Communication Technology Pavel Filip said Wednesday, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. The transition period of a year was agreed with the EU partners so as not to create inconveniencies to the Moldovans who are abroad. The price remained unchanged - 250 lei. Only biometric passports are issued in Moldova from January 1, 2011. A passport released in 30 days costs 850 lei.