Greece extends old police IDs until September 2027 with restrictions

The Greek government has extended the validity of old police identity cards to 25 September 2027. The extension applies only to specific electronic procedures that require remote personal identification for the issuance of trust‑service certificates. Old cards will no longer serve as general proof of identity or as travel documents.

The measure covers old police IDs that display the holder’s name in Latin characters, as well as identity cards of armed‑forces and security‑service personnel and residence permits of third‑country nationals that remain in force. The change was introduced to address delays in issuing the new digital identity cards.

To obtain a new card, citizens must book an appointment online, pay a €10 electronic fee (reduced to €5 for large families) and a €0.50 police stamp, and present a photograph either at the police office or via a certified photographer using the gov.gr myPhoto service. A witness is required for the first issuance. Processing takes about seven working days, after which the old card is returned.

After the September 2027 deadline, public services will no longer accept the old cards, and citizens must use the new identity documents for all interactions with the state.