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| 1. | Do I need a visa to enter Cyprus? | Citizens of member states of the EU may travel to Cyprus with their valid identity card or passport. Citizens of third countries holding a work permit, or a temporary residence permit or a study permit issued by any EU member state or a valid activated multiple entry Schengen Visa (the visa is activated by entry to a Schengen area country prior to entry to Cyprus), may also travel to Cyprus with their passport and their valid residence card or Schengen visa. Furthermore, citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to travel to Cyprus: San Marino, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, the Vatican State, Venezuela, Brazil, Guatemala, El Salvador, Switzerland, United States of America, Japan, Iceland, Israel, Canada, Costa Rica, Lichtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Brunei Darussalam, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, North Korea, Honduras, Uruguay, Singapore and Chile. In any other cases, an entry visa to Cyprus is required. Thus, Egyptian nationals need a visa.
Detailed information on how to obtain a visa is available in the relevant section of this website under the title ‘Visiting, Working, Settling in Cyprus’.
| | 2. | How much does a Cyprus visa cost? |
A single-entry visa costs EGP200 in cash. A multiple-entry visa costs EGP600 in cash. This amount is not reimbursed if a Visa is rejected. Fees are payable in Egyptian Pounds.
| | 3. | Can a citizen of a third country (not Egyptian) apply for a visa at the Embassy? | As a general rule, only applications from persons who reside legally in Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali are accepted
| | 4. | Is the Cyprus visa valid for entry to the Schengen zone? | No. Cyprus is not yet part of the Schengen zone therefore Cyprus visas are invariably national; they only entitle the holder to enter the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
| | 5. | What is the local currency in Cyprus?
| On 1 January 2008 the euro became the official currency of Cyprus, replacing the Cyprus pound
| | 6. | Can foreign nationals take up employment in Cyprus and how? | Foreign nationals (from non-EU countries) may be employed in Cyprus provided they can first find a local employer who is willing to employ them. The employer is then obliged to collect all necessary documentation and submit the required applications to the various Government departments in order to have a work permit issued for the foreign national he/she wishes to employ. If the employer is successful, the foreign national will hold a work permit for the specific job and for a limited period of time (please note that work permits are not general and are not valid indefinitely). Recruitment is therefore made directly by the employers or through agents; you have to make your own direct contacts with interested employers, intermediaries or employers' organizations if you wish to take up employment in Cyprus. Citizens of third countries need a work permit to work in Cyprus. The process for the issue of such a permit is undertaken by the Cypriot employer before the arrival of the interested person in Cyprus. The recruitment of human resources is handled directly by the employers or intermediaries
Citizens of the EU may work in Cyprus without a particular work permit. However, for their registration to the Social Insurance they need to provide a registration certificate of European citizenship in order to obtain a post. For qualified professions regulated by the legislation (doctor, lawyer, engineer etc) it’s required to obtain a profession practicing permit, also required for Cypriot citizens, which can be issued by the relevant professional association.
For more information you may contact the Work Department of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance (www.mlsi.gov.cy/dl), the Civil Registry and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior (http://moi.gov.cy, migration@crmd.moi.gov.cy) and the Employers & Industrialists Federation (http://www.oeb-eif.org, info@oeb.org.cy). The Civil Registry and Migration Department Ministry of the Interior 1457 Lefkosia (Nicosia) Cyprus. Tel: +35722804502 – Fax: +35722804587 – Email: migration@crmd.moi.gov.cy
Here are the addresses of the main employers’ organisations, which you may wish to contact: Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation (OEB) Central Office Address: 30, Grivas Dhigenis Avenue, P.O. Box 21657, 1511 Nicosia, Cyprus - Telephone:+357 - 22 66 51 02. Fax:+ 357-22669459 E-mail:info@oeb.org.cy Website: http://www.oeb-eif.org /Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry 38, Grivas Dhigenis Ave. & 3 Deligiorgis Str., P.O.Box 21455 1509 Nicosia,Cyprus Email:chamber@ccci.org.cy Tel:+357 22889800 - Fax: +357 22669048 - Website: www.ccci.org.cy /Cyprus Hotel Keepers Association 12, A. Araouzos Street, Hesperides Building P.O.Box 24772 1303 NICOSIA – CYPRUS Tel:+357-22452820 fax: +357-22375460 Email: cha@cyprushotelsassociation.org Cyprus Website: www.cyprushotelassociation.org
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| | 7. | Can I get a residence permit or a long-term visa for Cyprus at the Embassy? | Missions of the Republic of Cyprus abroad are only entitled to issue short-stay visas (for stay up to 90 days in any six month period). Anyone wishing to stay on the island longer, for any reason, should enter Cyprus as a tourist and apply to the Immigration Authorities in Cyprus for an extension of stay, explaining the reasons for this. Anyone overstaying his/her visa might have difficulties re-entering Cyprus in the future or obtaining a new visa. Please note that student visas are obtained through the Educational Institution where the student plans to study (for work permits please see relevant answer above).
| | 8. | Can foreign nationals get married in Cyprus? If yes, what is the relevant procedure | Foreign visitors may hold a civil wedding in Cyprus. Information related, including the legislation, costs, the process and data (telephone numbers, faxes and e-mail addresses of all the Cypriot municipalities that hold civil weddings), can be found on the webpage of the Union of Cyprus Municipalities (www.ucm.org.cy). Detailed information on how to obtain visa for marriage is available at the relevant section of this website under the title ‘Visiting, Working, Settling in Cyprus’.
| | 9. | Can foreign visitors to Cyprus cross the dividing line into the Turkish-occupied, northern part of the island? | Yes, they can, but they must be aware of the potential problems and risks when visiting the non-government controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus.
a) The Government of the Republic of Cyprus does not impose any restrictions on the freedom of movement of persons or goods, which have entered the territory of the Republic through legal points of entry situated in the Government controlled areas of the Republic. Therefore, travellers arriving in the Republic of Cyprus may enter the Republic only through the legal ports of entry: Larnaka and Pafos International Airports, or the ports of Larnaka, Lemesos (Limassol), Latsi and Pafos.
b) Entry into the territory of the Republic of Cyprus through any illegal point of entry situated in the occupied non-government controlled areas is illegal and subject to the relevant laws of the Republic.
c) The majority of the hotels operating in the occupied part of Cyprus belong to Greek Cypriot displaced persons or have been illegally built on properties belonging to displaced Greek Cypriots, in violation of the latter’s property rights and without their consent. Under Cyprus law, Greek Cypriot property owners may bring legal actions before the competent Courts of the Republic against trespassers to their properties in the Turkish occupied area, claiming damages and other legal remedies available to them under civil law. We extent a strong warning message to foreign citizens who wish to travel to the occupied part of Cyprus that staying in Greek Cypriot owned hotels or in hotels which have been built on Greek Cypriot property without the consent of the owners, is illegal and contributes and/or assists in the illegal exploitation/usurpation of Greek Cypriot properties contrary to domestic and international law.
d) Overnight stay in the occupied areas is also strongly discouraged for reasons of compatibility of the establishments in the occupied area with the hygienic, security and other standards. The Republic of Cyprus cannot guarantee the standards or safety of the establishments in the occupied part of Cyprus. Any claims for compensation based on established European consumer protection acts can be denied by the occupation regime as Turkey’s subordinate local administration in the occupied area of the Republic is deprived of any legal status. The authorities of the Republic will be unable to offer any help in case of accident, injury, theft, illness etc. and thus foreign nationals may find themselves isolated in the case of need.
e) According to the Travel Agencies and Tourist Guides law, tour operators that bring tourists to Cyprus are obliged to have a licensed Cypriot travel agent as a representative. The travel agencies are obliged to submit to the Cyprus Tourism Organisation all promotional material or programs for planned excursions / sightseeing tours for approval and the organisation of such excursions / tours without the use of licensed tourist guides is not allowed.
Additional information is available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.mfa.gov.cy)
| | 10. | Can I buy a property in the area under Turkish military occupation? | Foreign citizens are warned against the purchase of Greek Cypriot owned property, in the part of the Republic of Cyprus which has been under Turkish military occupation since 1974.
As a result of the Turkish invasion and subsequent occupation of 36.4% of the territory of Cyprus, 170,000 Greek Cypriots, who constituted 2/3 of the inhabitants of the occupied area, were forced to flee from their homes. According to the 1964 Land Registry Office Records, Greek Cypriots owned approximately 78% of the privately owned land in the territory now under Turkish occupation, while persons belonging to the Turkish Cypriot community owned approximately 21%.
The displaced persons are to this day prevented by the Turkish armed forces from returning to their homes and peacefully enjoying their properties. However, under Human Rights Conventions, as well as international and national law, they retain their title to their property.
| | 11. | What do I need to know regarding bringing medicines to Cyprus? | If you need to bring your medicines with you when travelling to Cyprus (especially when you are receiving therapy for conditions that need continuous treatment such as high blood pressure or arthritis) there will be no problem as long as the quantity you carry is reasonable (sufficient for your stay in Cyprus). Should you require additional medication, please note that foreign prescriptions are not valid in Cyprus, therefore you should visit a local physician and obtain one from here. Most hotels may direct you to an appropriate physician if the situation arises. It is advisable to carry a brief report on your condition and treatment from your own physician if you anticipate problems. This will enable the local physician you may visit understand your medical history and provide the appropriate treatment. In case you need to carry narcotics (i.e. morphine) or psychotropics (i.e. diazepam) please note that Cyprus is a signatory of the Schengen Agreement. If you are coming from a country that is also a signatory, please note that you are required to bring a declaration from your country that authorizes you to carry such medicines. Failure to produce such an authorization may lead to the confiscation of your medicines by Customs. You may obtain such an authorization from the local authorities in your country. The maximum validity of this authorization is 30 days. If you are coming from a country that is not a Schengen Agreement signatory, you should request that the competent authority of your country send us a letter describing the nature of your treatment, your medication/s, the dose, the quantity required and the name of your physician. The Pharmaceutical Services will, then, send to the competent authority of your country an authorization for the importation of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances for personal use that should be forwarded to you. You should carry this to Cyprus and produce it when you are requested to do so by the local authorities. It is advisable to carry these actions out well in advance (at least 1 month) of your trip to Cyprus in order to allow for the usual due processes to take place in a timely manner. Should you have any further queries (i.e. availability of medicines), you may contact the Pharmaceutical Services at the following address: Pharmaceutical Services Ministry of Health 1475 Nicosia , Cyprus - TEL: + 357 22 407107 - FAX: +357 22 407149 – E-mail:phscentral@phs.moh.gov.cy Website: http://www.moh.gov.cy/moh/phs/phs.nsf/dmlindex_en/dmlindex_en .
| | 12. | I am a foreign citizen who wants to move/get married/work/study in Cyprus. What is the procedure for the notarisation of my documents? | For a document issued in a third country to be accepted by the Authorities of Cyprus, it needs to be duly notarised. This means that the document must either bear the “Apostile” stamp =, if it originates from countries party to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, or else be notarized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country of issuance (of the document) and the competent Diplomatic Mission of the Republic of Cyprus in the aforementioned country. For more information on the so-called Apostille Convention, you can visit the website of the Convention http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=text.display&tid=37. Please forward any written requests for an “Apostille” seal directly to the Ministry of Justice and Public Order of the Republic of Cyprus, which is the competent authority of Cyprus to issue apostilles. The following must be submitted to the Ministry of Justice and Public Order when you apply for an Apostille: - The original document to be certified. A true copy of the document is also accepted only if it has been notarized by the Municipality of the Republic of Cyprus where it was originally issued. - A € 3.42 fee. - A self-addressed pre-paid certified return envelope. The address where the above should be sent is: Ministry of Justice and Public Order Attention: Maria Iasonos (Apostille Seal) 1461 Nicosia, CYPRUS . For further clarification, visit the website of the Ministry of Justice and Public Order (www.mjpo.gov.cy/) or contact Ms. Maria Iasonos (Tel. No.: +357-22 805 964- email: miasonos@mjpo.gov.cy - Fax No.: +357-22518356
| | 13. | Can I come to the Embassy in order to sign documents in front of a consular officer or to sign statements of oath? | Yes. You can come to the Embassy with your Passport and sign documents in front of a Consular officer/sign Affidavit. The Embassy charges EGP20 for each signature. Please contact the Embassy in advance to book an appointment.
| | 14. | I wish to pursue higher education in Cyprus. What do I have to do? | For information regarding studying in Cyprus, you must contact the following department: Department of Tertiary and Higher Education Ministry of Education and Culture Address: Kimonos and Thoukydidou Corner 1434 Nicosia - E-mail: daae@moec.gov.cy , Tel.: + 357- 22- 800616, + 357 - 22- 800617, Fax: + 357 -22- 427560, Website: www.highereducation.ac.cy/en/ .
| | 15. | Can I take my pet with me to Cyprus? | Yes you can. The regulations that apply in case of a non-commercial transport of pet animals to Cyprus may be found on the webpage of the Veterinary Services (www.moa.gov.cy/vs) under the section “Non-commercial movements of pet animals”. The owner or the person responsible for a pet animal originating from a third country must communicate its arrival to the Veterinary Services (fax: +37522805176 or e-mail animal.health@vs.moa.gov.cy ), as well as all the necessary information about the date and time of arrival and the flight number or the ship's name. The information must be communicated at least 48 hours prior to the arrival.
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