Migrants to be issued with ID cards
Immigrants applying for residence permits in Greece will soon be issued with ID cards that will contain their biometric data, according to a draft law submitted to Parliament on Tuesday.
The bill drawn up by the Interior Ministry proposes that all migrants whose applications for permits to live in Greece are approved be issued with ID cards that will display a digital picture and contain a chip on which authorities will store physiological or behavioral data about the holder. Records of the holders? fingerprints will also be stored.
According to the draft law, anybody refusing to provide biometric information will be refused a residence permit. The ministry said the bill aims to bring Greece in line with European Union legislation, which requires immigrants in member states to carry a single document that confirms their legal status.
The submission of the bill to Parliament coincided with the European Court of Human Rights finding Greece guilty of mistreating an asylum seeker.
