Greece extends old police ID use until September 2027 with limits

A ministerial decision published in Government Gazette B’ 5441 on 30 September 2024 extends the validity of Greece’s old paper police identification cards to 25 September 2027. The extension applies only to specific electronic remote‑verification procedures, such as issuing trust‑service certificates, and the cards will no longer be accepted as general proof of identity or as travel documents.

The old IDs will cease to be valid for international travel on 3 August 2026 and will be fully withdrawn from public‑service transactions after September 2027. The decree also covers identification cards of armed‑forces and security‑corps personnel and residence permits of third‑country nationals. The measure addresses delays in issuing the new plastic‑card IDs, which feature enhanced security elements and meet European standards. Issuing the new IDs requires a fee of €10 (reduced to €5 for large families) plus a €0.50 police stamp.