Electronic documents

The Civil Registry and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior is the competent authority for the issuance of electronic ID documents, such as the electronic ID card, the electronic passport and the electronic residence permit.

The Civil Registry and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior is the competent authority for the issuance of electronic ID documents, such as the electronic ID card, the electronic passport/ travel document and the electronic residence document/ permit. These electronic documents are indeed physical documents that differ from their non-electronic counterparts by an integrated electronic chip, on which the personal data of the document holder is stored in electronic form apart from just being printed onto the physical document. Furthermore, where foreseen the holder’s fingerprints are securely stored on the chip. Biometrics in electronic ID documents The term biometric electronic documents refers to the use of one or more physical characteristics of an individual (e.g. fingerprints, facial image), stored on a medium such as a smart card, to verify the identity of the bearer. In a few words, biometric documents allow to check whether an individual presenting a document such as passport, is the same individual as the individual whose biometric data is stored onto the document. The Republic of Cyprus currently issues biometric passports (ordinary, diplomatic, service), travel documents (refugee, alien), identity cards and residence documents/ permits, in accordance to the EU Acquis as well as the relevant ICAO and ISO standards.

Fingerprints

For obtaining a passport, a travel document, an ID card or a residence document/ permit in Cyprus, a person must submit the relevant application. In the cases where fingerprints are necessary for the issuance of these documents, this data is captured during the application process. Specialised equipment is used for this purpose. No fingerprints are captured from passport/ travel document and ID applicants that are under the age of 12 and from residence document/ permit applicants that are under the age of 6. The captured fingerprints are stored in the document issued and are erased from the repository within 48 hours after issuing the document or after a final decision is made on the application.

Facial Image

For obtaining a passport, a travel document an ID card or a residence document/ permit in Cyprus, a person must submit the relevant application. In all cases a biometric facial image is necessary for the issuance of these documents. The image is captured during the application process by specialised equipment. Applicants can also submit a printed biometric facial image given that this complies with the requirements set in the document below. The facial image is then stored onto the document printed and stored in the chip therein. Persons for whom fingerprinting is physically impossible are exempted from the requirement to give fingerprints.