Procedure

• The issuance of identity cards (ID card) is governed by the Civil Registry Law. According to the current legislation, the acquisition and possession of an identity card is mandatory for any citizen of the Republic who has reached the age of 12 and is optional for younger people.
• The application is submitted at the application submission offices in the specified form.
• The presence of the applicant is required for the submission of an application because during the process, the biometric data (photo and fingerprints) as well as the applicant’s signature are captured. Minors under the age of 12 are excluded from the obligation to provide fingerprints and signature. The data is captured by duly trained and authorized officers. Applicants may chose to submit their own photo, which must meet specific requirements (for details see the relevant document here). For the purpose of personal data protection, the captured fingerprints are deleted from Department's database within 48 hours from the issuance of the identity card.
• In case the application is submitted by a person who acquired Cypriot citizenship through naturalization or registration and has not yet obtained an identity card, then the original foreign birth certificate must be submitted as an attachment to the relevant application (if the applicant was born abroad) along with the original naturalization certificate or registration.
• In case the application is submitted for a minor under 12 years old, it must be completed and signed by both parents/guardians before the receiving officer. If one of the parents/guardians is abroad, the application must be completed and signed by the parent/guardian in the Republic and must be accompanied by the written consent of the parent/guardian abroad, that he/she consents to the issuance of the minor's identity card. This consent must be certified before a Consular officer at a Consular Authority of the Republic. If one of the two parents/guardians holds the right of the sole parental responsibility of the minor, the relevant application must be submitted along with the relevant family Court Order.
• In case the application is submitted for a minor over 12 years old, it can be completed and signed by one or both parents/guardians.
• In case you have lost your Identity Card or it has been stolen, you should file a complaint to the Police for the loss/ theft and proceed to a relevant Court Affidavit . The relevant application must be submitted along with these documents. It is emphasized that for minors the rules mentioned above apply.

• Issuance / renewal of an ID card for adults: €30
• Issuance / renewal of an ID card for minors: €20

• All ID cards are issued at the Central Offices of the Department in Nicosia
• The ID card can only be obtained from the application submission office where the application was filed.
• It usually takes about 10 working days - from the time of submission of the application to the date of collection. However, this time may increase depending on the volume of applications received but also due to other factors, such as, for example, system upgrades, maintenance procedures, etc. The time applicable at all times is communicated to the applicants during the submission of their application. It is understood that for applications submitted to the Consular Authorities of the Republic, the delivery time is significantly longer and it is communicated to the applicants during the submission of their application.
• You can be informed about the status of your application using SMS notifications.