Cyprus opens application process for digital ID issuance

Cypriots who are 18 years old and above have begun applying for digital ID cards, the government has announced.

The process kicked off Monday January 27 and applicants are expected to bring along their biometric ID cards to complete the process. Applicants are required to first submit an online application before taking an appointment for biometric capture at a Citizen Service Center.

The digital ID known officially as IDME.cy is to be issued by JCC Payments System Ltd. The government has explained that the novelty is to complement physical ID cards and to make access to public and private services easier and more secure.

Speaking last week, as reported by SigmaLive, the deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Nikodimos Damianou, emphasized the importance of the digital ID, urging citizens to come for it.

He reiterated an announcement made last year by the government that as a way of encouraging early adoption, the first 30,000 digital IDs will be issued gratis, while the following 70,000 will be obtain at a cost of about €15 (US15.6). After that, anyone going for a digital ID with a three-year validity will have to spend €50 (US$52).

Apart from identity authentication for access to various services, Damianou also noted that the digital ID will be useful for digital signatures. For now, a user of the ID is required to possess a smartphone which can support biometric authentication.

While there is a plan to integrate the digital ID with many other public services later on, the initial function will be to sign up to digital government services through an integration with digital government platforms such as CY Login.

The digital ID complies with the European Union’s eIDAS regulations for identity document security and will enhance cross-border transactions, while advancing Cyprus’ digital transformation ambitions.

Last month, Cyprus announced the launch of a digital wallet labelled Digital Citizen to facilitate the use of the digital ID. The wallet app will be used to store various ID documents and certificates in digital format.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  Cyprus  |  digital ID  |  EU Digital Identity Wallet  |  government services  |  IDME.cy