Greece ends international travel use of old ID cards as AI to assist vehicle fine appeals
Greece has ended the use of old-style identity cards as travel documents abroad, while new digital services and artificial intelligence tools are being introduced to speed up public procedures, the General Secretary for Information Systems and Digital Governance, Dimosthenis Anagnostopoulos, said in an interview with ERTnews.
The official outlined changes concerning identity documents, digital certificates, vehicle compliance checks and the processing of citizen appeals against fines.
Old identity cards no longer valid for foreign travel
From Aug. 3, old blue identity cards that lack machine-readable zones and modern security features can no longer be used for international travel.
Anagnostopoulos clarified that citizens with valid passports can continue travelling normally. Replacing an old identity card is mainly necessary for those planning to travel abroad without a valid passport.
Within Greece, old identity cards remain valid, while digital identity documents available through the Gov.gr Wallet are also accepted.
More appointments available for new IDs
Appointments for issuing new identity cards can be booked online through id.gov.gr. Authorities have increased available appointments by around 30%, particularly in Athens, where demand is high.
Citizens are not required to apply at a police station in their area of residence and can book appointments at any authorized issuing office across the country.
The new identity card is usually delivered within a few working days, while required fees can be issued and paid electronically. The Personal Number is automatically included on the new card.
Gov.gr Wallet documents remain valid
The digital identity card and digital driving licence available through the Gov.gr Wallet have full validity within Greece and can be presented to police or other authorized inspection authorities.
However, a simple photograph or screenshot of a document is not considered valid. Officials can verify the authenticity and status of digital documents in real time through the official application.
AI to support review of vehicle fine appeals
Anagnostopoulos also referred to cross-checks targeting uninsured vehicles and unpaid road taxes.
Authorities use vehicle registry data to determine whether vehicles are insured and whether required payments have been made. Vehicle owners are first notified and, if they fail to comply, fines are issued.
Around 300,000 penalty notices were sent earlier this year for uninsured vehicles and unpaid road taxes.
August excluded from appeal deadlines
The official said August is not counted when calculating deadlines for submitting objections against vehicle fines.
Citizens who recently received penalties will be able to submit appeals in early September through the oximata.gov.gr platform within the deadline displayed in the application.
Artificial intelligence to provide initial assessments
Artificial intelligence will be used to assist with the first evaluation of appeals, collecting available documents and case information and providing a preliminary assessment to public officials.
The final decision will remain with the responsible official and will not be made by the AI system.
Anagnostopoulos said the aim is to accelerate services for citizens and reduce administrative workload.
Source:ERT
