Recently, many Greek websites have been spreading false information about fines which are imposed on those who do not issue the new identity card. We would like to unequivocally emphasize that there is no penalty for not issuing the new identity card.
This incorrect information has caused concern among many citizens, who rush to issue the new ID for fear of fines.
However current legislation does not provide for fines for non-issue of ID. The identity card, of course, remains a necessary document for the identification of the citizen in various procedures and services.
Therefore, it is recommended to issue a new identity card in case of:
- Loss
- Theft
- Wear and tear of the old
New Identity Issuance Procedure:
The new identity card is issued at Police Stations or Civic Centers. The process is simple and fast, while the necessary supporting documents are analyzed on the official website of the Hellenic Police https://www.gov.gr/upourgeia/upourgeio-prostasias-tou-polite/ellenike-astunomia.
Cost of Issuing a New Identity Card:
- Electronic tax for the Government: €10,00 (€5,00 for multiple children)
- Greek Police Badge: €0,50
- In case of loss or damage: additional fee of €9,00
Tips:
- Don't worry about false information about fines.
- Issue a new ID if the old one is lost, stolen or damaged.
- Find out about the exact procedure and the cost of issuance on the official website of the Hellenic Police.
22 Questions / answers about the new identities
The old ID cards expire on 3 August 2026
The Ministries of Digital Governance and Citizen Protection answer citizens' questions:
1. At what age do I have to issue an identity card?
All Greek citizens who live or temporarily reside in Greece and have reached the age of 12 are required to provide themselves with an identity card.
The obligation to provide an identity card for persons who have reached the age of 12 belongs to their parents and legal guardians.
2. Where can I apply for the issuance of my identity card?
Identity cards are issued:
a) For the regions of Attica and Thessaloniki at the Security Department of the place of residence of the interested party.
b) For the rest of the country at the Sub-Directorate or the Security Department of the place of residence of the interested party.
Where such Services do not operate, identity cards are issued by the Police Department that exercises security responsibilities at the place of residence of the person concerned and in the event that this does not exist either, identity cards are issued by the Police Sub-Directorate based in the area in question.
3. What times can I come to the competent Authority to request the issuance of my new identity card (ID1)?
The operating hours are common for all issuing Authorities in the Territory and are as follows:
The ID Offices operate daily during the morning hours (07:00-14:30 in the summer period 01/04-30/09 and 07:30-15:00 in the winter period 01/10-31/03), with the exception of Wednesdays that operate from 14:00 to 20:30, to serve working citizens. Also, every Saturday from 08:30 to 13:00 they serve students as a priority.
Before going to the Issuing Authority, you should have planned your visit through the online platform, as described in the next question.
In case of theft or loss please follow the instructions in question 8.
4. What do I need to do before going to the competent Authority to issue my identity card?
For your convenience and to avoid unnecessary inconvenience, you should have scheduled your visit to the Issuing Authority of your place of permanent or temporary residence. For this purpose, you must visit the electronic platform where you will log in using your personal codes – credentials of the General Secretariat of Information
of Systems and Digital Government of the Ministry of Digital Government (TAXISnet codes).
Search for the Issuing Authority of your place of permanent or temporary residence and select the day and time you wish to go there to submit your application.
Through the same platform, you can change the day and time of your appointment or cancel it.
To remind you of your appointment, you will receive an automatic message to the email address you provided, one day and two (2) hours before your scheduled visit.
In case of theft or loss of the identity card, please contact directly the Issuing Authority of the place of your permanent or temporary residence (find the telephone numbers of the Services here), so that the competent employee can make an appointment for you as soon as possible.
In case of inability to attend the Issuing Authority due to a health problem, please see question 21.
5. Can I schedule an appointment for another person?
Yes, you can also schedule an appointment on behalf of another person. In this case, you will log in to the same electronic platform with your TAXISnet codes, but when asked, you will fill in the details of the person who wishes to issue a new identity card.
In this way, the Issuing Authority employee will know who has an appointment at all times and will be able to inform them if for any reason any change needs to be made.
In cases of loss/theft, you do not need to book an appointment through the online platform.
6. What supporting documents are needed for the issuance of the new identity card (ID1)?
For the issuance of the new identity card, you will submit the following supporting documents in person to the Issuing Authority of your place of permanent or temporary residence:
a) Photograph, in digital format.
Η photo can be obtained either directly at the Issuing Authorities, or you can contact a certified professional photographer, who will upload your photo to the myPhoto application of gov.gr.
In this case, the photographer will give you a code number, which you will then have to match with your VAT number via the myPhoto app. You will find detailed instructions here.
This procedure is necessary in order for the officer of the competent issuing Authority to search and retrieve your photograph.
b) Application – responsible declaration, which will be granted to you by the Issuing Authority.
Based on your request, an ex officio search will be carried out, through the Information System "Citizens' Register" of the Ministry of the Interior, for the necessary, for the issuance of the card, the census data. The application will be printed and you will be asked to sign.
c) Application for the issuance of an identity card, which will be granted to you by the Issuing Authority.
The application is completed by the competent Issuing Authority, based on your data, as obtained from the "Citizens Register" Information System of the Ministry of the Interior or from the certificate of the Municipality, in whose census you are registered.
After you sign it electronically (with a digital signature on special equipment), it will be printed and you will be asked to confirm the accuracy of the information it contains and to sign it by hand as well.
d) Electronic bill of €10,00.
For the issuance of each card, an electronic receipt is required in favor of the State, in the amount of €10,00 (Receipt Type: [1894] – “Issue of a Greek Citizen Identity Card”), which corresponds to the price of the body of the card, the costs of printing – personalization , as well as the cost of its safe transport.
If you have many children (a quality which must be shown by a relevant proof, e.g. a book of many children), the fee you will have to pay is half, €5,00
(Type of Parabolus: [1895] – “Issuance of identity card of a Greek citizen (multiple children)”.
In addition, the required Greek Police badge, amounting to €0,50, is affixed to the issuance application (Paper Type: [2043] – "The application (tab) for the issuance of an identity card of a Greek citizen (H.A.S. Badge)".
To issue all the above receipts, click here to connect to the e-Receipt service.
In the event of a wrong receipt being issued, you can request a refund by following the instructions you will find here.
e) Old-style identity card
In order to issue the new identity card, you need to present and hand in the old identity card (blue card).
7. I am about to get an ID for the first time in my life. What documents are needed?
You will need all the supporting documents listed in question 6 plus a witness to confirm your details. The witness can be any adult person, who will be in possession of a valid identification document.
If the extradition request concerns a minor, then only one of the two parents or the person exercising custody or guardianship may be present as a witness. In case of custody or
guardianship, the legal documents proving the custody or guardianship of the minor should be shown.
8. I lost/had my ID stolen. What actions should I take?
If you have lost your identity card, you should immediately report its loss to the nearest Police Authority (if you are in the country) or Greek Consular Authority (if you are abroad). You can also report the loss electronically.
If you are a victim of theft, the report must be made in person to the local Police Authority (Greek or foreign if you are in the country or abroad, respectively).
In any case, your ticket will be canceled and you will have to request a new one.
Even if you find your lost ID, do not use it as any action with it will have no legal effect, but hand it over to the nearest Police Authority.
You should then contact the Issuing Authority of the place of your permanent or temporary residence directly (find the telephone numbers of the Services here), so that the competent official can make an appointment for you as soon as possible.
9. What supporting documents are needed for the issuance of an identity card in case of loss, theft, damage or alteration of information? (Regards both types of IDs, old type-blue card and new type-ID2).
a) Issuance due to Loss/Theft
If you lost or had your identity card stolen, to issue your new card you will need:
– The supporting documents of the original issue (see question 6), including the witness.
– Responsible declaration, in which the circumstances of loss are mentioned, for cases of loss.
– Recent certificate from a Greek Authority (Police or Consular), for cases of theft.
– Additional electronic receipt in favor of the State, amounting to €9,00 (Type of Receipt: [1889] – “Replacement of identity cards due to damage/loss”), only for cases of loss.
b) Issue due to wear and tear
If your identity card has worn out, to issue your new card you will need:
– The supporting documents of the original issue (see question 6), including the witness.
– The damaged ID card.
– Responsible declaration, in which the wear conditions are mentioned.
– Additional electronic receipt in favor of the State, amounting to €9,00 (Type of Receipt: [1889] – “Replacement of identity cards due to wear/loss”).
c) Issuance due to a change in any identity element
If any element of your identity has changed, as defined in article 6 of the N.D. 127/69, to issue your new card you will need:
– The supporting documents of the original version (see question 6).
– The identity card you have in your possession.
– Copy of the relevant act of the Cancellation Authority (e.g. due to a change of surname, adoption, termination or cancellation thereof, recognition, renunciation or legalization of a child and in any other case defined by law).
To issue all the above receipts, click here to connect to the e-Receipt service.
In the event of a wrong receipt being issued, you can request a refund by following the instructions you will find here.
10. I have an old ID, which was issued very recently. Can I change it with a new type of ticket?
If you wish to replace your old ID card with a new type card, you can do so regardless of how recent it is.
In this case you will need:
– The supporting documents of the original version, except for the witness.
– The old identity card, which you will show during your application and hand it over to the Issuing Authority as soon as you receive your new document.
11. Is there anything else I need to know about the process of issuing my card?
a) Your surname, first name, patronymic and patronymic, will also be written in Latin characters, transliterated according to the EL.OT.T standard. 743. (see your details with the ELOT 743 template here)
If you wish any of the above information to be written in a way different from the ELOT 743 standard, you should provide a travel document or other document from a local or foreign Authority, from which the difference in question can be derived.
b) If you wish to have your blood group and RHESUS listed on the card, you must provide a certificate from a nursing institution or health laboratory stating this.
The mention of this element is not mandatory.
c) During the process of submitting the application for the issuance of a new card, the competent official will ask you to be fingerprinted.
Fingerprinting, which is done with special, electronic equipment, involves taking two (2) fingerprints, specifically the index fingers of your two hands.
In case of permanent or temporary inability to take an index fingerprint, a fingerprint of the thumb, middle or ring finger of the same hand is taken in order, while in the case of one-handedness, a fingerprint of the second finger of the existing hand is also taken, in the same order as above.
The permanent or temporary inability to take fingerprints, apart from cases of obvious mutilation, is proven by a medical certificate, which bears the signature of a doctor of the corresponding specialty with the condition being confirmed.
Please note that if it is temporarily impossible to take your fingerprints, then the duration of your pass will be limited (power 12 months), instead of 10 years which applies to all other cases.
d) If it is a matter of issuing a ticket to a person whose custody is exercised in accordance with a court decision or who is in a commission or judicial support, then the relevant decision determining custody or appointing a commissioner or judicial support should also be presented.
e) The Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates of the Armed Forces and their counterparts of the Security Forces, who are leaving active service or military availability, submit with their application the one provided for by the provisions of article 7 paragraph 1 of the N.D. .127/1969 certificate.
f) Your application for the issuance of a new identity card automatically receives a unique number, the Application Number. With this number you will be able to ask any question about your application as well as receive your ticket.
Upon completion of the application process, you will be sent a relevant email with the Application Number and all the necessary information (Authority of Issue, etc.)
12. How long does it take to issue the new ID card (ID1)?
All new identity cards will be printed with the highest levels of security and quality at the Directorate of Passports & Security Documents of the Hellenic Police Headquarters, based in Kaisariani Attica.
The time required from the day you submit your application to the Department in your area until you receive your new card is 7 days.
Therefore, please schedule the submission of your application to the competent Authority in time.
13. My ID was destroyed in a natural disaster. What parabolas are needed in this case?
When the damage or loss of your card is due to force majeure (earthquake, fire, shipwreck, flood, etc.), the identity card is issued after a document confirming the incident or a responsible declaration of the applicant has been presented.
In this case, only the tax in favor of the State, amounting to €10,00, will need to be paid (Type of Tax: [1894] – “Issuance of a Greek citizen identity card”).
14. I live permanently abroad. Where can I apply for a new card?
At the moment there is no technical possibility to submit an application for the issuance of a new identity card to the Greek consular authorities.
Therefore, the application for issuing a new card can only be made at the Issuing Authorities located in Greece.
Since you are going to visit the country, you can plan to apply for a new card at the competent Authority of the area where you will be staying during your stay here (hotel, relative/friend's house, etc.).
15. I am registered in a Greek Municipality, but I live in another area. Also, the home address shown on my tax return has recently changed. Where should I go to issue my new card?
You will submit the application for the issuance of your identity card to the Authority of your permanent or temporary residence in the country, regardless of the Municipality in which you are registered or the address shown on your tax return.
You will state your residential address (permanent or temporary) in the Responsible Declaration that you will submit when applying for the issuance of your new identity card, but bearing in mind the penalties provided for by the current legislation in case of declaration of false facts.
16. Can a third party collect my identity card on my behalf?
No. The identity card is a strictly personal document and is delivered by the competent Authority only to its owner.
17. Can I ask for the new ticket to be sent to my home by post?
No. The identity card can only be delivered to you personally, by the same Authority to which you submitted your application.
Your new ID becomes effective and appears active as soon as it is issued to you, regardless of when it was printed.
18. Will other public services or organizations be informed about my identity change?
As soon as your new identity is issued to you, all the services and agencies that interface with it, such as AADE, will be automatically informed through the Interoperability Center of the Ministry of Digital Governance. GOV.GR WALLET, etc.
19. Will I have to make a new appointment to pick up my ID?
No. When your new card has been printed and returned to the Issuing Authority, you will be notified by message to the email address provided when scheduling your appointment.
If your visit was scheduled by telephone directly from the Issuing Authority, a competent employee will inform you (either electronically if you provided an e-mail address during your application or by telephone) of the days and times you can come to collect your card.
For receiving or for anything you want to ask about your card, please have your Application Number available, which will be given to you by the responsible officer once the process of submitting the issuance application is complete.
20. I applied for a new card, but the Issuing Authority informed me that the ID was printed due to an inappropriate photo. What can I do in this case?
If you are informed that your ID was not printed due to an inappropriate photo, if this is due to the fault of the Service due to a bad reception, you can directly ask the Issuing Authority to schedule a new appointment as soon as possible. In addition, the issuance of a new €10,00 fee will not be required.
If the inappropriate photo is due to the fault of a professional photographer, you will be able to reschedule your appointment from the online platform. And in this case, the issuance of a new €10,00 receipt is not required
21. My relative is bedridden and cannot move to issue a new ID. What can I do;
For persons who are certain that they cannot move to the extradition authorities (inpatients, prison inmates, etc.), mobile stations have been set up that can be moved to the place where the person concerned is.
In order to schedule an appointment for these specific cases, you must first contact the local Issuing Authority directly by phone, in order for the competent official to inform you about the day and time of his visit to your place.
22. Will I be able to travel abroad with my new ID?
The new type of identity card meets all international security standards and can be used as a travel document in the countries of the EU and/or the SCHENGEN zone. In addition, it can also be used in third countries (non-EU and/or SCHENGEN) where EU nationals are only allowed to enter using an ID instead of a passport (e.g. Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro, Serbia , Turkey)
