The doubling of the validity period of passports has been fully implemented from today, the Ministry of Citizens’ Protection said in a statement. As stated in the same announcement, the tender for new ones is cancelled. personality, as due to the new validity period of the passports “there are significant changes in both financial and technical parameters” related to the attribution process.

Specifically, the ministry says:

“The doubling of the validity period of passports has been fully implemented from today.

As a reminder, in accordance with the legislative regulation of Law 4962/2022, No. 87, the validity of passports of Greek citizens has been changed from five (5) to ten (10) years from the date of their issuance for passports of adults and minors. who have reached the age of 14.

With this provision, Greece now meets international standards for the validity of a passport. This agreement, which, among other things, and without changing the required flat stamp duty for citizens, is part of a broader plan by the Ministry to cut bureaucracy, rid additional staff in the form of handling cases, to be transferred to citizens’ security services. , improving the quality of services provided and reducing unnecessary costs and working time in general.

Upon the unanimous recommendation of all the competent services of the Headquarters of the Hellenic Socialist Party and the Ministry of Citizens’ Protection, as well as the competent department of the State Legal Council (NSK) to which the relevant question was sent, a change in both financial and technical parameters related to the delivery process is recorded. “New Integrated Security Forms System” (OPSEA). The obvious reason is that now the total cost of the specific tender has been reduced by at least 56,544,000.00 euros, with an obvious significant financial benefit in favor of the Greek state, a fact that must be taken into account in the context of the proper management of public money.

Consequently, the service recommended to the competent Minister to cancel the progress of the above contract in full, with a fully reasoned decision and without the obligation to pay remuneration or compensation to the participants, as expressly provided in the relevant condition Invitation for Expression of Interest, a fact on which the State Legal Council unanimously gave a positive conclusion.

It is noted that the Ministry of Citizens’ Protection is taking all the necessary procedures to ensure not only the full and timely fulfillment of the International obligations of our country, but also the acquisition of high standard security documents issued by it in the future, fully compatible with European and international standards.