Which identity cards ceased to be valid on August 3, 2026?

Those issued before January 1, 2003, which had the mark of permanent validity, ceased to be valid.

How many citizens in Croatia had such cards?

According to MUP data, there were 13,277 people in Croatia with such cards.

Why are these cards no longer valid?

Because of the implementation of the Council of the European Union Regulation, as they no longer meet the minimum security standards against forgery.

How can immobile individuals submit a request for a new card?

The MUP has arranged for officials to visit the home address of elderly, sick, and immobile individuals to submit the request.

Croatia

Deadline Expired for 13,277 Citizens

B.J. · Prije 3h | 2 min

The Ministry of the Interior warns that documents issued before 2003 with permanent validity ceased to be valid on August 3, 2026, due to new EU security standards.

Summary

Identity cards with permanent validity issued before 2003 expired on August 3, 2026.
The reason is failure to meet minimum EU security standards against forgery.
Still, 13,277 citizens had such cards, and the MUP urges immediate replacement.
For immobile individuals, officials visiting their home address has been arranged.

Identity cards issued before January 1, 2003, which were marked as permanently valid, officially expired yesterday, August 3, 2026. According to data from the Ministry of the Interior (MUP), 13,277 people in Croatia still held such documents, which no longer meet the minimum security standards of the European Union.

The expiration of these cards is a direct consequence of the implementation of the Council of the European Union Regulation, which requires a higher level of protection against forgery. The MUP had previously sent notifications to citizens about the obligation to replace their documents, and for the elderly, sick, and immobile individuals, the possibility of officials visiting their home address has been arranged to submit the request for a new card without going to a police station.

On-the-ground Check: Do Citizens Know When Their ID Expires?

Journalists checked among citizens of Vinkovci how familiar they are with the validity periods of their documents. The responses showed varying levels of awareness. Slavica Pleš confirmed that she knows her ID card is valid until 2027, while Ružica Mandek explained that her document has permanent validity because it was issued two years ago, after she turned 75.

However, some respondents admitted they have no idea when their ID expires. Branko Željeković briefly replied: "What do I know, I have no idea," and Marijan Marojević was also unsure about the validity of his document. These responses indicate that some citizens may not be aware that their ID has expired or will soon expire.

What to Do If Your ID Has Expired?

The Ministry of the Interior urges all citizens to urgently check the validity of their ID cards. If the document has expired, it is necessary to submit a request for a new one as soon as possible. Detailed information about the replacement procedure and required documentation is available in the official MUP announcement.

We remind you that using an invalid ID card can cause problems in everyday situations, from going to the bank to traveling within the Schengen Area, so timely replacement is in everyone's interest.