The Cypriot Cabinet of Ministers has approved the issuance of 100,000 digital identity cards (e-IDs).
This was announced recently by the head of the Sub-Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Nicodemos Damianou.
According to him, the first 30,000 documents will be made available to the population free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. The remaining 70,000 will cost just 15 euros. The state will cover most of the costs. For those who do not have time to take advantage of the government subsidy, the e-ID will cost no more than 50 euros.
It is worth noting that e-IDs will be available to all Cypriot citizens over the age of 18. They will be issued within the next two months. The e-ID will be valid for three years.
The e-ID is the only secure way to quickly identify a citizen in an electronic environment. In addition, the e-ID enables the signing of electronic documents, as it has the same legal force as a handwritten signature," Damianu said.
He also mentioned that Cyprus' national e-ID card has already been approved by the European Commission so that it can be used for cross-border online transactions within the European Union.
The Hippodamos platform will be the first service to introduce the use of an electronic identification card (e-ID) for applications for planning and building permits. In the near future, e-ID will also be introduced in other government departments, such as the Tax and Roads Departments. The e-ID will be able to be used for applications for parental leave, disability benefits and Cyprus and European health cards.