Cyprus eID applications reach 4,500

Some 4,500 people have applied in Cyprus for the new electronic identification card (eID) just two days after its launch, with the government offering an incentive to the first 100,000 applicants.

The first 30,000 will get their eIDs for free, while 70,000 more will only have to pay €15.

The eID, provided through a portal developed through the bank-owned JCC payments clearing company, is an official tool for the identification of a citizen’s data and the conduct of electronic transactions.

It also ensures the use of a Qualified Electronic Signature for the signing of digital documents with security and legal effect.

Although the government’s IDMe.Cy site is only available in Greek, the dedicated JCC portal has all the instructions in English as well.

To create an account on the JCC Trust Portal, applicants must be at least 18 years old, need to have a biometric conventional ID and will have to download the JCC Authenticator from Google Play Store or the App Store.

Once submitted, applicants must resort to old manual technology and print out the relevant document of receipt. They then get an appointment at one of the local Citizen’s Bureaus within 30 days to verify the images.

A final notification will be sent by email or SMS for the final approval and issue of the eID.

Once generated, the eID can be stored in a smartphone wallet and used for a number of public services, such as the Social Insurance Department, for the labour office and payments, grants and subsidies.