President Nicos Christodoulides said the government was "very close to making announcements" regarding Cyprus joining the visa waiver program with the US. The head of state spoke at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on October 24.
The dialogue was productive
Christodoulides emphasized the importance of the meetings that took place the day before between members of the Cypriot government and US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien. He described the launch of the Strategic Dialogue with the US as a "very important" initiative that has improved relations between Cyprus and the United States. The President also said that discussions focused on five points that “concern all ministries.”
Nicosia and Washington will exchange data on suspicious persons
Meanwhile, parliament on October 24 ratified an intergovernmental agreement between Nicosia and Washington, which allows the parties to exchange information about suspicious persons. This will determine whether these individuals have committed, been suspected of, or are under investigation for serious crimes that may pose a threat to U.S. national security. Ratification of this document was a prerequisite for the entry into force of the visa-free regime.
Cyprus has a high backlog of rejected US visa applications
Previously, government spokesman Konstantinos Letimbiotis explained that one of the last obstacles Cyprus has to overcome remains the high rate of rejected US visa applications. A visa-free regime is introduced only for those countries where the proportion of rejected applications does not exceed 3%.
Letimbiotis emphasizes that Cyprus was “very close” to achieving this goal last year. The government hopes to achieve this goal now. The Cabinet of Ministers expects that visa-free travel to the United States for Cypriot citizens will become a reality at the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025.
The visa-free regime with the USA is valid for 41 countries
Today, a visa-free regime with the United States is valid for 41 countries, of which 24 are members of the European Union. Instead of applying for a visa, citizens of these countries must complete an electronic travel authorization application to gain access to the country for up to 90 days per visit. Travelers must carry a valid passport and return ticket.
There are restrictions
The visa-free regime rules do not apply to those citizens of the listed countries who entered Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Yemen after March 1, 2011 or Cuba after January 12, 2021.
The text was prepared based on materials from Cyprus Mail and Politis.
More on the topic:
From 15 October 2024, Cypriot citizens can visit China without a visa for up to 15 days. The visa-free regime applies to tourist trips, business visits, visiting relatives and transit through China to other countries. Read more in our material “Start of visa-free regime with China – October 15.”
Deputies warned about the risks of visa-free travel with the United States. On July 11, 2024, Parliament ratified an interstate agreement between Cyprus and the United States on the exchange of information about travelers. This decision was a precondition for the country's inclusion in the visa waiver program. Experts believe that this solution, along with other advantages, also carries significant risks.
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