The validity of the new Greek passports will be doubled from 5 to 10 years starting today for all citizens aged 14 and older, the Ministry of Citizen Protection announced Thursday.
A corresponding law recently passed in Parliament will come into force on Sept. 1 (today), the ministry said, while clarifying that the fees for applying for a passport will not change.
The move will save at least 55.5 million euros in state funds and bring the country in line with international practices. It will also cut red tape and free up more police officers to protect citizens.
The extension of the validity period was proposed by the Hellenic Police Headquarters, the Ministry and the State Legal Council. An ongoing tender for passport vendors will be canceled at no cost to the state, the Ministry of Citizen Protection said.
