The end of the road for Cyprus’ old ID cards

August 3 marks the end of an era for thousands of Cypriot citizens who still hold the well-known, old-style blue identity cards. From that date onwards, these identity cards will no longer be recognised as valid travel documents for journeys within the European Union and the Schengen Area, as they do not comply with the new security standards established at European level.

This change is far more than a simple administrative measure. It forms part of a broader European Union policy aimed at...