Applications for Electronic IDs for Cypriot Citizens Over 18 Begin January 27

A press conference to present the National Electronic Identity (eID) of the Republic of Cyprus was held on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, by the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy, Dr. Nikodimos Damianou. The Deputy Minister to the President, Ms. Eirini Piki, also attended the event and emphasized the importance the Government places on digital transformation.

The electronic identity (eID) serves as the unique, secure identity of each citizen in the online world. It allows identification in public and private online services, while also enabling the holder to sign electronic documents with absolute security and the same legal validity as a handwritten signature.

The National Electronic Identity of the Republic of Cyprus has already been approved by the European Commission at the highest level of security and recognition (“High Assurance”) under the eIDAS Regulation, with the registered name: IDMe.cy. Therefore, it can be recognized for cross-border electronic transactions within the European Union.

This is a particularly important tool for both citizens and the economy, and it falls within the actions of the “Digital Citizen” Program, through which the Government progressively offers citizens, businesses, and professionals a series of useful digital solutions that will practically facilitate their daily lives, focusing on the triad of speed – security – convenience.

During the press conference, the Deputy Minister emphasized that the use of the electronic identity (eID) and the connected electronic signature is not limited to citizens’ transactions with the state but also for private or other professional use. Referring to the importance of this tool for the development of the digital economy itself, he urged businesses and professionals to utilize the electronic identity mechanism to further digitize their electronic relationship with their customers and expand the scope of their operations, while simultaneously reducing their operational and administrative costs and increasing their efficiency.

Regarding the public sector, the Deputy Minister mentioned the ways in which the electronic identity will be utilized at this stage and the next steps for its gradual expansion. Specifically, in the first stage, by obtaining their electronic identity, citizens will be able to access Government systems through CY Login, using their eID credentials. At the same time, the electronic signature has already been integrated into the “Hippodamos” system, and it is planned to be gradually integrated into other state systems, such as the Department of Registrar of Companies and Intellectual Property and the Department of Road Transport, which are in the implementation phase.