KIEV, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The demand for biometric passports in Ukraine hit a record-high in 2017 due to the introduction of the visa-free regime with the European Union (EU), official data showed Friday.

The State Migration Service said in a report it has issued about 4.033 million biometric passports last year compared with 1.509 million in 2016.

Overall, about 6.7 million of Ukrainians, or 16 percent of the country's population, are now holding biometric passports, which enable them to enter the EU without a visa for 90 days in any 180-day period.

The visa-free mechanism between Ukraine and the EU was launched on June 11, 2017.