On 27 January, Cyprus began accepting applications for a digital identity card (eID) as part of the national electronic identification programme.
All citizens of the island state over the age of 18 who have a biometric passport or ID card can obtain an eID.
Head of the Sub-Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Nicodimos Damianou, said that a total of 100,000 such IDs will be issued, with the first 30,000 available for free on a first-come, first-served basis. After the limit has been reached, the cost of issuance will be 15 euros.
How to get an eID:
Register on the JCC Trust portal.
- Install the JCC Authenticator app from Google Play or the App Store.
- Enable two-factor authentication for secure login.
- Apply for an eID on the JCC Trust portal.
- Accept the terms and conditions, upload a photo of your ID (both sides) and enter the required details.
- Authorise on the JCC mobile app using your username from the JCC Trust portal.
- Confirm the application by entering two one-time codes (OTPs) received via SMS and email, followed by uploading the biometric data.
- Print the application form and bring it to the Citizen Service Centre (CSC) within 30 days by making an appointment in advance.
- Once the identification process is complete, you will receive a notification that the eID is ready.
- Complete the process by logging into the JCC Trust within 5 days of receiving the SMS or email.
Damianu emphasised that the electronic signature embedded in the eID provides legally valid authentication of documents, completely replacing manual signatures.
The system has already been integrated into the Hippodamos platform and will soon be rolled out to other government services, including road transport and company registration departments.
It should be noted that this initiative has been approved by the European Commission and the IDMe.cy system complies with the eIDAS standard and is classified as 'high trust'.
The eID is valid for three years with the possibility of renewal. The only officially approved operator of the service is JCC Payment Systems. Be careful not to make payments with suspicious details.