Hundreds of residents in Larissa, central Greece, have been forming long queues outside the city’s Police Directorate from the early hours of the morning as they rush to obtain passports before a major change to travel documents takes effect.
According to local reports, the first citizens arrive outside the police building shortly after midnight, with the queue growing to hundreds of people by around 3 a.m. Although the Passport Office begins serving the public at 7:30 a.m., many residents wait for hours in advance in an effort to secure a place in line.
Deadline approaches for old identity cards
The surge in passport applications is linked to the upcoming end of validity of Greece’s old blue identity cards as travel documents within the European Union.
Under European Regulation 2019/1157, the older identity cards will no longer be accepted for travel because they do not include a machine-readable zone (MRZ), a feature required for modern travel documents.
From August 3, 2026, Greek citizens who wish to travel within Europe will need to have either the new identity cards or a passport.
Pressure on passport services
The increased demand has placed significant pressure on the Larissa Passport Office, which can reportedly process around 70 applications per day. Despite this capacity, hundreds of people continue to wait until the end of operating hours, with some expressing frustration over delays and long waiting times.
More than 800 residents of Larissa have reportedly already obtained passports in recent days using their old identity cards, hoping to complete the process before the new rules come into force.
The high demand is expected to continue until Saturday, August 1, when the Passport Office will operate normally before the new travel requirements begin on Monday, August 3.
