Cyprus expands Digital Citizen app to teens

Cypriot citizens who are between 14 and 18 years old are now eligible to access features of the Digital Citizen App. The announcement was made recently by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy.

Before this change, the app was available only for citizens who were 18 years old, and above. It was launched at the end of last year.

In the announcement, the ministry said digital copies of citizens’ official documents created through the Digital Citizen app and stored on it, are fully equivalent to the printed form of the documents, and are accepted by public institutions without any exception.

This means that users can show proof of their identity by using the digital version of their documents on the app, without the need to provide physical copies.

To use the Digital Citizen app which can be downloaded from Google Play and Appstore, users are first required to create an account on CY Login, a unified single point of entry for access to several digital government services.

For the case of minors, their account can be created by taking an appointment at a Citizen Service Center with a parent or guardian who must take along their national biometric ID card.

The government has stated that all ID documents created and stored on the Digital Citizen app cannot be used for international travel purposes.

Meanwhile, the government has disclosed that already, over 5,600 digital IDs have been issued, from a total of nearly 10,000 applications, Cyprus Mail reports, citing Cyprus News Agency. Many of those who have obtained the digital ID are said to be between the age range of 35 and 44.

The application process for the digital ID began in January. Applicants must first complete an online process before they can get an appointment at a Citizen Service Center for biometric capture.

The first 30,000 will be issued for free, and the government is subsidizing the next 70,000 to keep the cost to 15 euros. The cost of EU national ID cards varies widely from country to country.

To be eligible for the digital ID, a citizen must be in possession of a physical biometric ID card.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  Cyprus  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  identity management  |  identity proofing