As of August 3, Greece's old blue identity cards are no longer accepted as travel documents, including for trips within the Schengen Area. Travelers must carry either the new national ID card or a valid Greek passport.

Dozens queued outside police headquarters in Kozani, some arriving before dawn, to apply for passports ahead of new travel document rules replacing Greece's old-style identity cards for international travel

Hundreds of residents are seeking passports before old Greek identity cards lose their travel validity in Europe, causing overnight queues outside the local police passport office.

Deputy Defense Minister Athanasios Davakis clarifies enrollment rules for this year's military academy candidates

The extension applies only to specific online identity verification procedures, while older identity cards will no longer be accepted as general proof of identity or travel documents

From August 3, Greece’s old blue ID cards will no longer be valid for travel abroad, requiring citizens to use passports instead. EU rules apply now.

The old blue cards stop working as travel documents this week, with full replacement required by September 2027 and appointments filling up fast

Older Greek identity cards without machine-readable features will expire in August 2026, prompting authorities to expand digital appointment services for replacements.

Greece is accelerating the replacement of older identity cards ahead of the EU deadline of 3 August 2026, with a renewed appointment system helping citizens secure slots in select areas even today despite increased demand.

The Council of State (CoS), Greece’s supreme administrative court, ruled that police are obliged to accept old ID cards as official documentation for the issuing of a new passport or a renewal of an old one. The ruling stems from a case in which a citizen applied last year to renew his passport using a […]

Greece’s older-style identity cards will remain valid until August 2026, authorities have confirmed, amid mounting pressure on police stations as applications for the new biometric IDs continue to rise—particularly in major urban centres

From August 2026, travelers without the new national identity card will no longer be able to travel within the European Union, as authorities urge citizens to book appointments early amid heavy demand

From summer 2026, older Greek ID cards will no longer be valid for travel within the EU due to security concerns. Citizens are encouraged to switch to the new, more secure IDs, while passports remain valid for international travel

Over the past two months alone, MyCoast has received 3,000 reports—most coming from Eastern Attica, Halkidiki, and the Cyclades.

Greece’s new ID cards will include a 12-digit PIN for digital access to public services. Replacing legacy IDs is mandatory by 2026.