More Consular Authorities serving citizens remotely – Pilot programme extended to the Consulates General in Boston, Istanbul and Düsseldorf, and the Consulate in Perth
The Consulates General in Boston, Istanbul and Düsseldorf, and the Consulate in Perth are, as of today, included in the pilot operation of “MyConsulLive,” the platform for serving citizens remotely, via video calls. The platform was designed by the General Secretariat for Public Administration IT Systems, based on similar digital appointment services already provided by Citizens Services Centres (KEP), the Greek Manpower Employment Organization (OAED), and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (IAPR).
This service, which was presented to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis by Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias and Digital Governance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis on 29 December 2020, is already in pilot operation at Greece’s Embassy in the United Kingdom and at the Consulates General in New York and Toronto, and will gradually be extended to all Consular Missions.
The “MyConsulLive” platform enables Greeks residing abroad to use Consular services remotely, via scheduled video calls with competent consular personnel. Entry into the platform requires the use of Taxisnet login (user name/password) to confirm the interested party’s personal data, while identification during the video call will be made via presentation of state documents (ID card, passport, etc.).
The initiative is being supplemented by the Digital Virtual Assistant service through the use of artificial intelligence (Chatbot), which has gone into pilot operation at the Consular Office of the London Embassy and at the Consulate General in New York, and will gradually be extended to all consular missions.
These special applications decisively upgrade the level of consular services for citizens, and their extension to all consular missions will resolve chronic problems, digitalizing and streamlining procedures.
February 5, 2021