ETIAS to Cyprus

Located in the very heart of the Mediterranean Sea, yet not far from shores of both Turkey and Syria, the island Country of Cyprus is a unique cultural melting pot even in the much diverse European panorama.

Cyprus ETIAS in brief

Cyprus will require ETIAS to incoming Visa Waiver travelers from sixty different countries of nationality from 2025
ETIAS allows for an aggregate stay in Cyprus and 33 more European Countries of maximum 90 out of every 180 days and only for leisure, business, transit or medical treatment
Electronic application and delivery system
Visa Waiver visitor’s passport must have 3 months of remaining validity throughout the entire permanence in ETIAS Area

Cyprus’ legacy
Located in the very heart of the Mediterranean Sea, yet not far from shores of both Turkey and Syria, the island Country of Cyprus is a unique cultural melting pot even in the much diverse European panorama.
Inhabited since the neolithic age, Cyprus gained notoriety thanks to its strategic position in the Eastern Mediterranean and was, throughout the centuries, colonized or conquered by several civilizations that include Greeks, Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians and Romans. In a more recent era Cyprus was also under the influence of Arab Caliphates, French Lusignan dynasty, the Venetians and finally of the Ottoman Empire that ruled over the island for over 300 years.
Nowadays Cyprus, still culturally enriched by its one-of-a-kind cultural legacy, is thriving nation that has become among the European leaders in the finance and shipment transportations business sectors.
Cyprus and European institutions
European Member since 2004 Cyprus is bound to one day also become Member of the Schengen Area but its membership application process is still ongoing and might be taking a few more years to be completed.
Nonetheless, Cyprus will become part of the newly established ETIAS area from its very inauguration in 2025.
This means that visitors of 60 different nationalities will need an ETIAS Visa Waiver for their short-term visits to the island country.
Through its implementations ETIAS System aims to offer travelers to Cyprus, and EU/Schengen Area in general, more efficient border control protocols upon arrival at the EU’s air, land or sea borders.
The security pre-clearance sponsored by ETIAS is indeed expected to create a safer travel environment both to EU residents and visitors and to create a barrier to defend Europe against crime, frauds and terrorism.
To request ETIAS to Cyprus
In order to put their application for ETIAS forward, all Visa Waiver visitors to the Cyprus, minors included through the aid of a parent or legal guardian, are required to fill out a short form where they are to declare their personal data and contact details, travel to EU schedule and to answer a short set of background check and general eligibility questions.
When the request has been submitted, through the electronic payment of the due application taxes and feedback becomes available, in most cases within 72 hours and with a positive outcome, ETIAS Visa Waiver will be sent to the personal e-mail of each applicant.
Visa Waiver use, validity and exceptions
ETIAS Visa Waiver valid for 3 years from its date of issue and allows for multiple journeys to Cyprus and to the other 33 ETIAS Countries, as long as such trips comply with the general ETIAS limitations for purpose and duration of stay as summarized above.
Any individual holding Visa Waiver rights to Europe whose aim is to work or study in Cyprus on a long-term basis will not be considered eligible for ETIAS and will still be required to apply for Consular Schengen Visa.
Although ETIAS is not fit for long term study programs in Europe, ETIAS Visa Waiver can be used to access the island country for short training programs (such as language classes or work-related training courses) if the stay in the ETIAS countries area will not surpass the threshold of ninety days in a six-month period.
Additional papers
When reaching the EU/Schengen Area, whether air, land or seaway and regardless of the place of origin of the journey Border Control Officers will always have the authority to ask ETIAS holders to supply additional documents to evaluate the scope of the trip and to ensure there is no plan to overstay in the ETIAS Area.
Among the supporting documents that might be required are:

Return ticket to the country of origin

Onwards ticket to a non-ETIAS country

Proof of sufficient funds to support one’s stay in the ETIAS Area

A health insurance is not required to ETIAS visitors but is always strongly recommended.
Cyprus borders with fellow EU Member Countries
One point to be highlighted is that on a standard basis no border controls are carried out when moving from Schengen Country to another. This freedom of movement does not apply to movements to/from EU countries that, despite being EU Members, are not yet subscribers of the Schengen Acquis like Cyprus itself.
Still, Visa Waiver travelers that already hold a valid Schengen Visa or a Permit of Stay issued by a Schengen Member Country are not required to have a valid ETIAS to enter the Cyprus or any other ETIAS Area Country. On the other hand, National Visas and Residence Permits issued by Cyprus, since its Schengen Membership has yet been perfected, are currently not valid to be exempted from the requirement to hold a valid Visa Waiver or Consular Visa where applicable.
Finally, it is important to notice that while Schengen Membership in inevitably linked to the acceptance and enforcement of ETIAS rules, EU Membership does not always imply the same; as matter of fact, the Republic of Ireland (EIRE), who has been in the EU for over 40 years, is not connected to the Schengen treaty and therefore does not require ETIAS to Visa Waiver short-term but instead applies its own immigration rules.