The countdown is on for Greek citizens still holding the old-style “blue” police ID card. Under EU Regulation 2019/1157, identity cards issued by member states without a machine-readable zone (MRZ) will cease to be valid travel documents from 3 August 2026.

From that date, the traditional Greek ID card will no longer be accepted for travel within the European Union, and citizens who have not upgraded will need a passport to travel abroad.

The approaching deadline has driven a sharp rise in demand at police stations issuing the new cards, and many applicants are now finding it difficult to secure an appointment in time.

How to book an appointment

Appointments for the new ID card can be booked online through gov.gr, using Taxisnet credentials (the tax authority’s digital identification system).

Applicants select their local Issuing Authority, determined by their permanent or temporary address in Greece, then choose an available date and time from the calendar. Personal details are drawn automatically from the Citizens’ Registry and the National Communications Registry (EMEP), Greece’s central database of contact information. Anyone whose EMEP details are out of date must update them at the appointment or submit a formal declaration.

Once the application is submitted, applicants receive a confirmation email with appointment details and contact information for the relevant office, followed by reminder messages in the run-up to the appointment. Appointments can be rescheduled, cancelled or resubmitted up to 1 hour before the scheduled time.

Anyone whose police ID card has been lost or stolen should contact their local Issuing Authority by phone to arrange an appointment.

Documents and fees

Applicants must appear in person with a digital photograph, either taken at the office or uploaded in advance by a certified photographer via the myPhoto platform on gov.gr, which generates a code linking the photo to the applicant’s Tax Identification Number (AFM). The application form itself is completed by the issuing office using Citizens’ Registry data and signed by the applicant.

An online fee of 10 euros covers production, printing and postage, reduced to 5 euros for large families on presentation of the relevant documents, plus a 0.50-euro stamp duty payable to the Hellenic Police. Fees are paid through the e-Paravolo online payment system, with refunds available in cases of error. The old blue ID card must be surrendered when the new one is issued.

What happens if the deadline is missed

The phase-out does not, for now, affect domestic transactions or identification procedures within Greece. But citizens who have not obtained the new ID card by 3 August 2026 will be unable to travel to other EU countries on the old card and will need a valid passport for any travel abroad.