A Common ID Number Linking All Public Records

The Personal Number (P.A.) is Greece’s unified identification number, serving as a common “key” across all major public registries. It gradually links the tax number (AFM), social security number (AMKA), municipal registry, and other public services. It is used in tax services, insurance and healthcare systems, the new national ID cards (for citizens), and progressively in private-sector services, such as banks and insurance companies, following its launch in 2025. The government’s goal is to reduce bureaucracy and the discrepancies that arise between different registries.

Not the same as your ID card number

The P.A. is not the same as an ID card number. For Greek citizens, the ID card number relates exclusively to the physical document and can change when a new card is issued. The Personal Number, by contrast, is tied to the individual and functions as a permanent administrative identifier. For Greek citizens, it may appear on new ID cards, but it is not the same thing as the card number. For foreign residents, who typically carry a passport or residence permit rather than a Greek ID card, the Personal Number serves as their permanent administrative identifier for all dealings with the Greek state.

How to obtain a Personal Number

The P.A. is obtained through the myInfo platform at myinfo.gov.gr by anyone who already has Greek administrative identifiers such as an AFM tax number or AMKA social security number . The citizen logs in with Taxisnet credentials, confirms the personal details pulled from state registries, and corrects any discrepancies. From November 6, 2025, the Personal Number is automatically assigned to anyone who had not already obtained one, with no action required. Under the relevant legislation, a Personal Number is mandatory for every natural person entitled to an AFM or AMKA. The Personal Number is a 12-character alphanumeric code, made up of three characters (letters or numbers) added as a prefix followed by your existing 9-digit AFM.

Who qualifies, including foreign nationals

The P.A. is not limited to Greek citizens. A foreign national living legally and permanently in Greece can have a Personal Number even without a Greek ID card. For foreigners, the primary identification document is typically a passport or residence permit, while the P.A. functions as their administrative number for dealings with the Greek state. An EU citizen, a British resident in Greece, a digital nomad, an investor, or a Golden Visa holder may therefore have an AFM, an AMKA, and a Personal Number without ever holding a Greek identity card. By contrast, someone present in Greece only as a tourist or occasional visitor, with no Greek administrative records, does not obtain a P.A.

Planning to retire or relocate to Greece?

For those interested in relocating or retiring to Greece, the Greece Retirement Blueprint covers practical information on visas and residence permits, taxation, healthcare, insurance, housing, the banking system, opening accounts, buying or renting property, cost of living, everyday bureaucracy, the AFM, AMKA, Personal Number, and all the key administrative matters a foreign national needs to know when settling in Greece.

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