Greece ends travel on old blue IDs: new cards or passport required from 3 August

The deadline arrives

Greek citizens woke on Monday 3 August 2026 to a new travel reality: the familiar blue police identity cards ceased to be accepted as travel documents, even for journeys to other European Union and Schengen-area countries. The old cards lack a machine-readable zone (MRZ) and do not meet the modern security standards required by the European framework. From today, anyone crossing the border must present either the new-type identity card or a valid Greek passport.

The restriction applies exclusively to international travel. Within Greece, the old cards remain valid for identification and all domestic transactions until 25 September 2027. A citizen who does not plan to travel abroad can continue using the old ID at public services, banks and other bodies. However, the old card is no longer accepted even for applying for a Greek passport; applicants over 12 years old must now show a new-type ID.

Rush for appointments

Ahead of the deadline, thousands of citizens flocked to police stations and ID-issuing offices, sharply increasing demand for available appointment slots. The Ministry of Citizen Protection responded by reinforcing the ID-card issuing offices and extending their operating hours. According to ministry data, from 4 July the number of available electronic appointments rose by 28%, while the average service time dropped from 22 minutes to 14 minutes. By 31 July, more than 4.15 million new-type identity cards had been issued.

How to get the new card

Obtaining the new ID requires an electronic appointment booked through the dedicated platform id.gov.gr. Citizens can choose any issuing office in the country regardless of their place of residence, and can modify or cancel the appointment through the same platform. At the police station, the applicant must have paid the required electronic fees and provide a digital photograph. The photo can be taken on the spot at the police service or uploaded via the myPhoto app by a certified professional photographer, allowing it to be retrieved electronically during the process.

The application and a responsible declaration are completed and signed at the service. Necessary civil-status data is retrieved automatically through the "Citizen Register" information system of the Ministry of the Interior, so the citizen does not need to bring any certificates. The electronic fee for the new card is 10 euros, covering the cost of the card, printing, personalisation and lamination.

What the new card unlocks

The new police identity card is accepted for travel to EU and Schengen countries, as well as to third countries that permit entry of Greek citizens with an ID card instead of a passport. The old cards, by contrast, are now excluded from any cross-border use, closing a chapter that had already been extended to allow citizens time to switch over.