As of 3 August 2026 all paper-format national identity cards that lack a machine-readable zone or biometric features are no longer valid for travel within the European Union. The deadline, set by Regulation (EU) 2019/1157 on strengthening the security of ID documents, marks the end of a five-year transition period during which Member States—including Austria—had to phase out legacy documents. For Austrian citizens the practical effect is immediate: border police, airlines and ferry operators may now deny boarding to holders of the old green-paper Personalausweis, even on intra-Schengen trips. The Interior Ministry estimates that about 120,000 Austrians—many of them elderly—still possess paper IDs. They must apply for the plastic credit-card-sized eID, which contains a microchip and will in future support EU Digital ID wallets. Municipal offices have extended opening hours this week, and the government has waived the €61 fast-track surcharge until 31 October to encourage last-minute renewals. Third-country nationals resident in Austria are also affected. Family-member residence cards in the old booklet format cease to be valid for border crossing, potentially complicating business trips or vacations. Employers with assignees should verify that staff hold the new EU-compliant cards and, where necessary, arrange urgent appointments at the Migration Service Centre. Failure to carry a valid document could result in denial of re-entry after a trip abroad and may invalidate local registration. Airlines operating at Vienna and Salzburg airports told Global Mobility News they have updated their DCS software to flag non-compliant document numbers. Carriers warn that “documentation errors” remain the passenger’s responsibility and that no-show or re-issue fees will apply. Travel managers should therefore alert travellers and update company intranets to reflect the new rule. The regulation is part of a broader EU effort to combat identity fraud and prepare for the interoperable Entry/Exit System and future digital travel credentials. Its entry into force reinforces a wider trend: physical documents are giving way to chip-based and eventually fully digital credentials, with significant implications for compliance and data protection strategies within global mobility programmes.
