Nicosia, Cyprus. The interior ministry will restore parents’ names to Cyprus’ new biometric identity cards and introduce an option allowing holders to obtain cards without those details.
Two card options
The ministry announced the decision on Friday after receiving guidance from the European Commission, which confirmed that issuing different types of identity cards within the same member state is not prohibited.
The Commission does not encourage the practice, however, citing concerns about uniformity and easier border controls.
Following consultations with the contractor producing the cards, the ministry decided to return to the previous format, displaying the full names of both parents as recorded in the population register and on the holder’s birth certificate.
Implementation timetable awaited
The ministry said the contractor had confirmed that operating both formats in parallel was technically feasible. It is awaiting an implementation timetable.
The decision changes the ministry’s previous position, under which it defended the removal of parents’ names from the new biometric cards on personal data protection grounds and to align with European practice.
Political debate
The issue prompted political debate during the week. Disy proposed allowing the public to choose whether their parents’ names appear on their identity cards, while Elam called for their mandatory reinstatement.
The ministry said people who have already received a biometric identity card without parents’ details and wish to include them will be able to replace their card free of charge at citizen service centres or district administrations once the previous format is restored.