The Republic of Cyprus has quietly removed the names of cardholders' parents from newly issued biometric identity cards, a change that took effect in July and has triggered criticism from some citizens and political parties.
Applicants receiving the new identity cards discovered that the fields showing the names of the holder's father and mother, which appeared on previous versions, have been removed.
The change was implemented without a public announcement or broader information campaign.
Contract amended to implement change
According to an Interior Ministry source, the decision came into effect during July and required an amendment to the Republic's contract with the company responsible for issuing biometric identity cards.
The proposal originated from the ministry's Civil Registry and Migration Department.
The source said the recommendation was based on EU Regulation 2025/1208, guidance from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and a review of practices across other European Union member states.
According to the ministry's research, most EU countries do not include the names of parents on national identity cards.
National choice, not EU requirement
The ministry stressed that the move was not mandated by the European Union.
While EU Regulation 2025/1208 establishes common security standards for national identity cards, parents' names are not among the mandatory data fields. Member states remain free to retain such information if they wish.
As a result, the decision to remove the names was made by Cypriot authorities under the discretion available to member states.
The ministry's position is that an identity card serves solely to identify its holder.
Officials argue that parentage can already be proven through a birth certificate, which continues to include the names of both parents.
Privacy cited as key reason
The ministry said privacy and personal data protection were among the reasons behind the change.
Officials pointed to cases involving children of unknown paternity. Under the previous system, a dash would appear in place of the father's name, revealing personal family information whenever the identity card was presented.
The Interior Ministry source also said the removal of the fields had been recommended by the Commissioner for the Protection of Children's Rights.
No legal change required
The ministry said no legislative amendment was needed.
Under Article 63(2) of the Civil Registry Law, the form, design and content of identity cards are determined by the director of the Civil Registry, in a manner similar to biometric passports.
Ministry acknowledges lack of public notice
Asked whether citizens should have been informed beforehand, the ministry source acknowledged that an announcement could have been issued.
However, the source noted that the law gives the Civil Registry director authority over the format and contents of identity cards.
Political backlash
The nationalist ELAM party reacted strongly to the change, describing it as an "unacceptable attempt to undermine the sacred institution of the family."
Party spokesman Marios Pelekanos questioned whether the next step would be the introduction of the terms "Parent 1" and "Parent 2" and linked the decision to what ELAM described as the advance of a "woke agenda."
The party called for the immediate restoration of the parents' names on identity cards and urged Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou to intervene personally.
It also warned that it would pursue parliamentary action and other measures if its demands were ignored.
No plans to reverse decision
Asked whether the ministry may reconsider the move following public criticism, the source said there is currently no intention to reverse the decision.
Officials noted that the measure has already been implemented and required contractual amendments with the identity card provider.
The ministry said it has received no indication that the policy is likely to change.
New card design
A specimen of the new biometric identity card published on gov.cy no longer includes fields for the names of the holder's father and mother.
The front of the card contains the holder's personal details, while the reverse includes information such as place of birth, height and issuing details.
The image published online is marked "SPECIMEN" and serves only as a sample of the card's design.
