Cyprus is close to joining the United States’ Visa Waiver Programme, according to President Nikos Christodoulides, who made the announcement on Thursday. The president hinted that formal announcements could be made soon regarding this development.
During a cabinet meeting, Christodoulides emphasized the significance of recent talks between Cypriot government officials and US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, James O’Brien. He referred to the initiation of strategic dialogue with the US as a “crucial relationship” that has strengthened ties between Cyprus and the United States.
The discussions, he said, centered on five key areas, involving various ministries, aimed at deepening cooperation. In July, the Cypriot government submitted a bill to parliament as part of the process to join the US Visa Waiver Programme. A month earlier, Cyprus and the US had signed an agreement concerning the sharing of travel-related information, which includes risk assessments of individuals considered dangerous to either country.
At that time, government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis explained that one of the remaining obstacles for Cyprus is the US visa rejection rate for Cypriot nationals. For a country to qualify for the visa-free travel programme, the rate of visa rejections must fall below three percent.
Letymbiotis noted that Cyprus had come close to meeting that threshold last year and expressed optimism that the country would reach the required target soon. “We are optimistic that we will meet this target. There is still an agreement that needs to be signed, but we are confident it will be completed shortly,” he added.
The government is hopeful that visa-free travel for Cypriot citizens to the US could become a reality by the end of this year or in early 2025.
If Cyprus successfully secures its place in the US Visa Waiver Programme, it will join 41 other countries, including 24 European Union member states, that currently benefit from the scheme. This would allow Cypriot citizens to travel to the US for up to 90 days without needing a visa, instead using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
To enter the US through ESTA, travelers must have a valid biometric passport and proof of a return or onward ticket. However, citizens of Visa Waiver Programme countries who have visited certain countries—such as Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia, or Yemen since March 1, 2011, or Cuba since January 12, 2021—will still be required to apply for a visa.
Source: Cyprus Mail