Visit Cyprus? Most likely you can demand a visa waiver soon if you are not an EU citizen. If you have been to Cyprus (the southern part) or anywhere in the EU before, have you had to apply for a visa exemption? visa in advance before? If this was not the case, it was because you were a citizen of one of the visa-free countries, and you may soon be affected by a new European visa waiver system, which the European Union has put in place. in place. This is called the EU Travel and Information Authorization System or ETIAS. It will work like the current US visa waiver system called ESTA. Basically, if this applies to you, you will simply go online and apply for your ETIAS before traveling to Europe. You will have to pay a fee, but the whole process should not take more than 15 minutes and you will still have 90 days in the Schengen area once you arrive in Europe. See below for more details on what it means!
I heard that Cyprus is not in Schengen. What does it mean?
It's ok for the moment. Cyprus is a full member of the European Union, one of 28 countries. However, he is not yet in Schengen, although he is expected to be so soon. The Schengen Agreement aims to ensure free movement for all member countries, some of which are not in the EU. The immigration rules for non-Schengen citizens are standardized, so if you have permission to visit a Schengen country, you can visit all the others. You get 90 days in all Schengen in each block of 180 days. In theory, the Schengen clock begins to turn when you enter a Schengen country for the first time, but in practice some customs officers close their eyes or are not interested in any passport. The ETIAS system is supposed to reinforce these irregularities.
Is it worth visiting Cyprus once you need to apply for a visa waiver in Cyprus?
It is not expected that the introduction of ETIAS will make a big difference in the number of visitors who want to go, especially given the relatively low cost of ETIAS (5 euros). Cyprus remains a very attractive destination all year round. It has a mild climate in winter and it is hot in summer. It's great for beach lovers, especially if they come from northern Europe or Russia where summers are irregular.
Cyprus is not limited to beaches and sun. It has Greek cuisine and restaurants and a Greek vibe. Nicosia, the capital that crosses the Green Line, separating northern Turkish Turkey from the South, has a lot of architectural interest, while fascinating and charming villages are scattered throughout the countryside. Many people enjoy hiking in the Troodos Mountains, refreshing coolness in the summer, snowy in the winter.
So who will really need a Cyprus ETIAS?
The European Commission announced the ETIAS proposal in November 2016. The system will be operational by 2020 and will only concern people who do not need a visa for Europe in advance and are not citizens from the EU or Schengen. The fact that Cyprus is not a member of Schengen can make a difference in the first place. This may be something that the Cypriot government will need to develop fairly quickly. The best advice if you plan to go to Cyprus, or any other part of Europe for that matter, is to keep abreast of developments at ETIAS. When ETIAS becomes a mandatory travel authorization, it will be advertised properly and airlines and travel agents will be aware of the new regulations very quickly. Contact us to find out more.