Greece Rolls Out New Digital ID Number to Streamline Public Services

Greece is introducing a single digital identification number for all citizens in a sweeping overhaul of its public administration systems, aiming to reduce bureaucracy and unify existing registries.

The Personal Number (P.A.) will become the country’s unique digital key for identification across state and, eventually, private sector services.

Starting Tuesday, June 3, citizens will be able to apply for the new ID number through the government’s myInfo platform, according to Minister of Digital Governance Dimitris Papastergiou.

Mr. Papastergiou said the initiative will simplify transactions by replacing multiple identifiers such as the Tax Identification Number (AFM), Social Security Number (AMKA), and National ID number with a single 12-character code.

“The goal is to make life easier for citizens by having one number for everything,” Mr. Papastergiou said in a recent statement.

The Personal Number will be mandatory for all new national ID cards, which are already being rolled out and are due to fully replace older blue identity cards by August 2026, in line with European Union regulations.

More than 1.7 million new IDs have been issued to date, with 371 issuing centers operating across the country.

The Personal Number will be structured with three alphanumeric characters (two chosen by the user, one system-generated), followed by the citizen’s existing Tax Identification Number (AFM), and ending with a checksum character.

Applications for the Personal Number will require login credentials for Greece’s Taxisnet system and a verified mobile phone number registered in the National Communication Registry.

Citizens will authenticate their identity through two-factor login (OTP) and then verify or correct their official records before receiving the number.

Digital Access and Usage

Once issued, the number will appear on the back of new ID cards and in digital IDs stored in the gov.gr Wallet app. Initially, it will be used in interactions with public services, but future expansion to private services, such as banks and insurance companies, is planned. The Personal Number will be permanent and immutable, regardless of changes to a person’s name, address, or other identifiers.

Transition Period and Exceptions

For a limited time after the launch, ID cards can still be issued without the new Personal Number if a citizen has not yet obtained one. After the grace period, all new IDs will require it unless the applicant is unable to complete the registration process due to reasons beyond their control.

Parents or legal guardians will be able to obtain the number on behalf of minors, and individuals without Taxisnet credentials or mobile phones will need to apply in person at Citizen Service Centers (KEP) or consulates abroad.

Authorities estimate over 2 million citizens will benefit from corrections to outdated or incorrect data as the new system synchronizes multiple public registries.

Errors in records, such as names or existing ID numbers, can be reported and corrected through the myInfo platform.

Mr. Papastergiou said the system was designed with high standards for data protection and cybersecurity, noting that the Personal Number does not contain sensitive information and is tied to secure digital authentication.

The move is part of Greece’s broader effort to modernize its public administration and align with EU digital governance standards. The government has not ruled out further digital reforms in the near future.

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