Over 13,000 Citizens Left with Expired ID Cards
As of August 3, 2026, paper and old plastic ID cards issued before 2003 have ceased to be valid, leaving citizens facing administrative hurdles and fines.
As of August 3, 2026, paper and old plastic ID cards issued before 2003 have ceased to be valid, leaving citizens facing administrative hurdles and fines.
More than 13,000 Croatian citizens, mostly elderly, have been left without a valid identification document since the beginning of August. Following a decision by the European Commission, which rejected a postponement, paper and old plastic ID cards issued before January 1, 2003, under the law from 1991, ceased to be valid on August 3, 2026.
This measure stems from EU Regulation (2019/1157), which mandates stricter security standards for all identification documents within the Union. Old documents fail to meet the new requirements as they lack a machine-readable zone (MRZ), biometric data such as fingerprints, and modern anti-counterfeiting features.
The consequences for citizens who have not replaced their documents are far more severe than being unable to cross the border. With the old ID card, it is no longer possible to carry out even basic actions that require identification: withdrawing a pension at a bank or post office, notarizing documents, signing contracts with telecom operators, or using any public administration service.
The law also stipulates a fine of €66.36 for those who do not submit a request for a new card within 15 days of the expiration of their valid ID. The Ministry of the Interior (MUP) has announced that it will send written notifications to the home addresses of all affected individuals, with detailed instructions on the replacement procedure.
The European Commission's decision not to extend the deadline was made despite concerns raised in the European Parliament. MEP Susanna Ceccardi had already submitted a priority question to the Commission in February this year, warning of a potential administrative collapse in member states and overburdened national offices during the summer holidays.
Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Justice, made it clear that a postponement would not be considered. He emphasized that the regulation was adopted unanimously with the support of all member states and the Parliament itself, making any amendments unlikely. Furthermore, the Commission stated that there is no central record of how many non-compliant ID cards are in circulation, as the issuance of documents is solely in the hands of individual countries.
Since the change primarily affects elderly citizens, many of whom are over 90 years old and often have limited mobility or are ill, the MUP has devised a special assistance mechanism. For such individuals, mobile teams will visit their homes.
Family members, caregivers, or neighbors can contact the relevant police station and schedule a time when an official will come to the location, collect the application, take biometric data, and, once the document is ready, deliver the new ID card.
To replace the card, you must personally visit the relevant police administration or station with your old ID, proof of payment, and one color photograph measuring 3.5 x 4.5 cm. If you have received a biometric document (passport or ID) in the past five years and your appearance has not significantly changed, a photo is not required.
The cost of issuance depends on the processing speed:
The issuance of a first ID card for children under 18 residing in Croatia is free of charge in the standard procedure. The new electronic ID card (eOI) is valid for five years, while for individuals over 70, it is issued with a validity of 40 years.
