Cyprus removes parental names from children's identity cards

Cyprus's Interior Minister, Constantinos Ioannou, has clarified the decision to remove parental names from children’s identity cards. Responding to an inquiry by DIKO MP Chrysanthos Savvides, the Minister attributed the change to the Civil Registry, the Commissioner for the Protection of Children’s Rights, and the police. The decision was formalized under Article 63(2) of the Civil Registry Law, which grants the Director-General authority over the design and specifications of identity documents. The policy was implemented during the development of an integrated system for issuing national identity cards, passports, and residence permits.

The initiative to remove these details originated from formal requests made by the Commissioner for the Protection of Children’s Rights starting in 2017. Through various letters and memoranda submitted to both the Ministry of Interior and the House of Representatives, the Commissioner argued that omitting this data is necessary to uphold the 'best interests of the child' principle. The transition to the new format is presented as a strategic move to modernize identification documents while aligning with children's rights advocates' long-standing recommendations regarding data privacy.