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Republic of Cyprus
Consular Services

The High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus informs that visas will not be granted to applicants with itineraries including illegal entries from ports and airports situated to the part of the Republic of Cyprus which is occupied by the Turkish troops since 1974.

It is noted that the Government of the Republic of Cyprus is the only recognized Government on the island -member of the EU since 1.5.2004, as well as member of the UN and other International organizations. As a result of the Turkish military occupation, the Government of the Republic of Cyprus is not in a position to exercise effective control over the occupied areas of the Republic. The so-called "TRNC" has been condemned and declared illegal and invalid by the whole International Community through Security Council Resolutions 541/83 and 550/84. With the sole exception of Turkey, no state in the world or International Organization recognizes this secessionist entity.

Presently, it is possible for foreign tourists who visit the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus, to cross to the occupied areas through the 7 crossing points, at their own risk as the area is not under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus. List of ownership status of hotels and other accommodation facilities in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus, it can be found here.

Staying in Greek Cypriot owned hotels in the occupied areas, which are being illegally exploited, would put you at great risk of possible legal action on the part of the owners.

Travelers entering the Republic of Cyprus via the illegal / closed airports and ports (i.e. all the airports and ports in the occupied areas), are in breach of the international law of the Republic of Cyprus. Therefore, you are urged to travel via the recognized ports of entry, so as to avoid any possible problems (provided that a visa has been granted to you). The legal ports of entry into the Republic of Cyprus are the airports of Larnaca and Paphos and the ports of Larnaca, Limassol, Latsi and Paphos, which are situated in the area under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. Any entry into the territory of the Republic of Cyprus via any other port or airport in the area of Cyprus in which the Government of the Republic does not exercise effective control (Turkish occupied area) is illegal”.






Hide details for List of countries, whose citizens do not required to have a visa to enter the Republic of CyprusList of countries, whose citizens do not required to have a visa to enter the Republic of Cyprus

1. ALBANIA*
2. ANDORA
3. ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
4. ARGENTINA
5. AUSTRALIA
6. AUSTRIA
7. BAHAMAS
8. BARBADOS
9. BELGIUM
10. BERMUDA
11. BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA*
12. BRAZIL
13. BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
14. BULGARIA
15. CANADA
16. CHILE
17. COLOMBIA
18. COSTA RICA
19. CROATIA
20. CZECH REPUBLIC
21. DENMARK
22. DOMINICA
23. ESTONIA
24. FINLAND
25. FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA*
26. FRANCE
27. GEORGIA*
28. GERMANY
29. GREECE
30. GRENADA
31. GUATEMALA
32. HOLY SEE
33. HUNGARY
34. ICELAND
35. IRELAND
36. ISRAEL
37. ITALY
38. JAPAN
39. KIRIBATI
40. LATVIA
41. LIECHTENSTEIN
42. LITHUANIA
43. LUXEMBOURG
44. MALAYSIA
45. MALTA
46. MARSHALL ISLANDS
47. MAURITIUS
48. MEXICO
49. MICRONESIA
50. MOLDOVA*
51. MONACO
52. MONTENEGRO*
53. NETHERLANDS
54. NEW ZEALAND
55. NICARAGUA
56. NORWAY
57. HONDURAS
58. PALAU
59. PANAMA
60. PARAGUAY
61. PERU
62. POLAND
63. PORTUGAL
64. ROMANIA
65. SAMOA
66. SAINT LUCIA
67. SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
68. SAIN VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
69. SALVADOR
70. SAN MARINO
71. SERBIA*
72. SEYCHELLES
73. SINGAPORE
74. SLOVAKIA
75. SLOVENIA
76. SOUTH KOREA
77. SPAIN
78. SWEEDEN
79. SWITZERLAND
80. TIMORE-LESTE
81. TONGA
82. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
83. UKRAINE *
84. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
85. UNITED KINGDOM
86. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
87. URUGUAY
88. VANUATU
89. VENEZUELA


* visa is not required for holders of biometric passports


Categories of persons who DO NOT require visa to enter Cyprus


  1. Holders of diplomatic and service passports of Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, FYROM, Montenegro, Serbia, Moldova, Russian Federation, Ukraine. (In compliance with the Agreements between the European Community OJL 129, 17.5.2007, p.27and OJL 334, 19.12.2007 p. 85)
  2. Holders of diplomatic and service passports of Armenia, Bolivia, China, Colombia, Cuba, Georgia, India, Iran, Syria.
  3. Holders of diplomatic, service, and special passports of Egypt and Lebanon.
  4. All flight crew members who are holding Flight crew Member’s Licence or a Crew Member Certificate issued under the Chicago Convention.
  5. The flight crew and attendants on emergency or rescue flights and other helpers in the event of disaster or accident.
  6. The civilian crew of ships navigating in international waters.
  7. The holders of laissez-passer issued by the United Nations to their officials.
  8. School pupils having the nationality of a third country listed in Annex I who reside in a Third Country listed in Annex II and are travelling in the context of a school excursion as members of a group of pupils accompanied by a teacher from the school in question.
  9. All persons who are in possession of work permit issued by the Civil Archive and Migration Officer.
  10. All persons who possess a permanent or a temporary residence permit issued by the Civil Archive and Migration Officer.
  11. All persons who possess a study permit.
  12. Third country nationals that hold a type C (single, double, multiple entry), valid Schengen visa do not require a Cyprus visa provided that they have a VALID RESIDENCE PERMIT for South Africa and that they have already entered a Schengen state with this visa at least once. Those who are eligible to travel under this directive may do so provided that their Schengen visa is valid on their return from Cyprus.



Hide details for List of countries whose citizens do NOT need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days, provided they are bona fide vList of countries whose citizens do NOT need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days, provided they are bona fide visitors

  • The following countries:
    1. ALBANIA*
    2. ANDORA
    3. ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
    4. ARGENTINA
    5. AUSTRALIA
    6. AUSTRIA
    7. BAHAMAS
    8. BARBADOS
    9. BELGIUM
    10. BERMUDA
    11. BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA*
    12. BRAZIL
    13. BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
    14. BULGARIA
    15. CANADA
    16. CHILE
    17. COLOMBIA
    18. COSTA RICA
    19. CROATIA
    20. CZECH REPUBLIC
    21. DENMARK
    22. DOMINICA
    23. ESTONIA
    24. FINLAND
    25. FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA*
    26. FRANCE
    27. GEORGIA*
    28. GERMANY
    29. GREECE
    30. GRENADA
    31. GUATEMALA
    32. HOLY SEE
    33. HUNGARY
    34. ICELAND
    35. IRELAND
    36. ISRAEL
    37. ITALY
    38. JAPAN
    39. KIRIBATI
    40. LATVIA
    41. LIECHTENSTEIN
    42. LITHUANIA
    43. LUXEMBOURG
    44. MALAYSIA
    45. MALTA
    46. MARSHALL ISLANDS
    47. MAURITIUS
    48. MEXICO
    49. MICRONESIA
    50. MOLDOVA*
    51. MONACO
    52. MONTENEGRO*
    53. NETHERLANDS
    54. NEW ZEALAND
    55. NICARAGUA
    56. NORWAY
    57. HONDURAS
    58. PALAU
    59. PANAMA
    60. PARAGUAY
    61. PERU
    62. POLAND
    63. PORTUGAL
    64. ROMANIA
    65. SAMOA
    66. SAINT LUCIA
    67. SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
    68. SAIN VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
    69. SALVADOR
    70. SAN MARINO
    71. SERBIA*
    72. SEYCHELLES
    73. SINGAPORE
    74. SLOVAKIA
    75. SLOVENIA
    76. SOUTH KOREA
    77. SPAIN
    78. SWEEDEN
    79. SWITZERLAND
    80. TIMORE-LESTE
    81. TONGA
    82. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
    83. UKRAINE *
    84. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
    85. UNITED KINGDOM
    86. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    87. URUGUAY
    88. VANUATU
    89. VENEZUELA


Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China:

HONG KONG S.A.R.
MACAO S.A.R


British citizens who are not nationals of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern 
Ireland for the purposes of Union law:


British nationals (Overseas) 
British overseas territories citizens (BOTC) 
British overseas citizens (BOC) 
British protected
persons (BPP) 
British subjects (BS)’.


Entities and territorial authorities not recognised as States by at least one Member State:


TAIWAN



*Only for holders of biometric passports

SAR: Special Administrative Regions of People’s Republic of China




Additional categories of persons who DO NOT require a visa


1. Holders of diplomatic and service passports of Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, FYROM, Montenegro, Serbia, Moldova, Russian Federation, Ukraine. (In compliance with the Agreements between the European Community OJL 129, 17.5.2007, p.27and OJL 334, 19.12.2007 p. 85)

2. Holders of diplomatic and service passports of Armenia, Bolivia, China, Colombia, Cuba, Georgia, India, Iran, Syria.

3. Holders of diplomatic, service, and special passports of Egypt and Lebanon

4. All flight crew member who are holding Flight crew Member’s Licence or a Crew Member Certificate issued under the Chicago Convention.

5. The flight crew and attendants on emergency or rescue flights and other helpers in the event of disaster or accident.

6. The civilian crew of ships navigating in international waters.


7. The holders of laissez-passer issued by the United Nations to their officials.


8. School pupils having the nationality of a third country listed in Annex I who reside in a Third Country listed in Annex II and are travelling in the context of a school excursion as members of a group of pupils accompanied by a teacher from school in question.



9. All persons who are in possession of work permit issued by the Civil Archive and Migration Officer.


10. All persons who possess a permanent or a temporary residence permit issued by the Civil Archive and a Migration Officer.




11. All persons who possess a study permit.


12. Third country nationals that hold a type C (single, double, multiple entry), valid Schengen visa do not require a Cyprus visa provided that they have a valid RESIDENCE PERMIT for South Africa and that they have already entered a Schengen state with this visa at least once. Those who are eligible to travel under this directive may do so provided that their Schengen visa is valid on their return from Cyprus.




Admission and transit restrictions:




The following entry regulations apply only to the areas controlled by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus:

Passport: Required, except for holders of:

· Laissez-Passer issued by the United Nations.

· Document issued to stateless persons and recognized refugees.

· Citizens of a member state of the EU, as well as, of Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway may enter Cyprus
with their national identity card (provided there is a photo identification on it).



The Government of the Republic of Cyprus strictly refuses admission to holders of “passports” issued illegally by the secessionist and so-called “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)·




Notes:


1. The Government of the Republic of Cyprus is the only recognized Government on the island -
member of the EU since 1.5.2004, as well as member of the UN and other International organizations.As a result of the Turkish military presence and occupation, the Government of the Republic of Cyprus is not in a position to exercise effective control over the occupied areas of the Republic. The so-called "TRNC" has been condemned and declared as both illegal and invalid by the whole of the International Community through Security Council Resolutions 541/83 and 550/84. With the sole exception of Turkey, no state in the world or International Organization recognizes the secessionist entity.


2. Presently, it is possible for foreign tourists who visit the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus, to cross to the occupied areas.


3. Staying in Greek Cypriot owned hotels in the occupied areas, which are being illegally exploited, would put you at great risk of possible legal action on the part of the owners.


4. Travellers entering the Republic of Cyprus via the illegal / closed airports and ports (i.e. all the airports and ports in the occupied areas), are in breach of national law of the Republic of Cyprus. Therefore, you are urged to travel via the recognized ports of entry, so as to avoid any possible problems (provided that a visa has been granted to you). The legal ports of entry into the Republic of Cyprus are the airports of Larnaca and Paphos and the ports of Larnaca, Limassol, Latsi and Paphos, which are situated in the area under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. Any entry into the territory of the Republic of Cyprus via any other port or airport in the area of Cyprus in which the Government of the Republic does not exercise effective control (Turkish occupied area) is illegal”.



For those intending to be employed in Cyprus, the issuance of an employment permit by the Civil Archive and Migration Office is required and no visa is required in order to travel to Cyprus.






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© 2012 - 2024 Republic of Cyprus,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in Pretoria