Employees of the Ukrainian State Migration Service's regional passport-issuing offices, the so-called OVIRs, are offering tour agencies the opportunity to purchase places in line in order to receive biometric passports.

A source in one tour agency told the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency, "Such proposals are being received by practically all passport-issuing offices." The source added the minimum price for expediting passport production starts at UAH 2,000 per passport. The price for receiving a new passport via a tour agency within three days is UAH 3,400 and UAH 2,100 within 21 days.

The source said tour agencies "give the telephone number of an interested client to an intermediary, who arranges delivery of the passport at a specific time and place."

"We at tour agencies have nothing to do with the deficit of forms [for application to receive a biometric passport for leaving Ukraine]. We are contacted directly by individuals from OVIR, who offer places for money, and we offer them to our clients. Corruption is a nation-wide problem. If there is demand, there will be offers," the source said.

The official price for applying for a biometric passport to leave Ukraine in regional offices is UAH 557.32 if it is ready within 20 days and UAH 810.32 within seven days.

The Gotovo document service center receives UAH 400 extra, charging UAH 957.32 (20 days) and UAH 1,210.32 (7 days).

As earlier reported, starting in mid-spring demand for receiving biometric passports grew after the EU granted Ukraine visa-free travel status.

Application and issuance of biometric passports are within the grants of authority of Ukraine's Migration Service, the passport service called Document, and centers authorized to provide administrative services.