Government demands digital IDs be universally accepted
All organisations in Cyprus must accept digital documents presented through the government’s Digital Citizen application in all in person transactions, the deputy research and digital policy ministry insisted on Tuesday, warning that refusal is legally equivalent to rejecting a physical document.
In a statement, the deputy ministry stressed that digital public documents stored on the application carry “absolute equivalence” to their physical counterparts for any legal use within the republic, meaning members of the public can present them without exception for identification or verification purposes.
“Refuting these digital documents is equivalent to refuting the corresponding physical form,” the ministry assured, calling on businesses, services and professionals to “immediately take the necessary actions” to comply.
The Digital Citizen application allows users with a CY Login account to store official documents on their mobile devices, including identity cards and driving licences, with further additions planned for the coming year including documents for foreign nationals.
Members of the public may present these documents directly from their phone during identity checks or other procedures, with authorities required to accept them in the same way as physical copies.
The ministry also highlighted that verification of authenticity can be carried out through the application itself, without the need for specialised equipment or access credentials, as long as the checking officer has the app installed.
The system has also been linked with Greece’s Gov.gr Wallet since May 2025, allowing cross border use of digital identification documents.
Cypriot holders can present their digital identity card and driving licence in Greece “in the same way they use them in Cyprus”, while Greek holders can do the same locally using their national application.
The deputy ministry reiterated that the transition to digital documentation is already fully implemented in legal terms, placing the responsibility on organisations to adapt their processes without delay.