Cyprus is taking a bold step to join the Schengen Zone by the end of 2025. This move announced by the President Nikos Christodoulides will allow Cypriots and citizens of other 29 schengen members visa free travel between Cyprus and other EU member countries.
Although Cyprus has been part of the European Union since 2004. But, the country remained outside of the Schengen region which means travelers have to go through border control while traveling from other EU nations. This long desired integration will allow tourists to move freely across the nation as well as reinforce economical and political ties within the region. This merger will allure tourists towards the island nation and make it an ideal tourist destination.
Cyprus US Visa waiver program
Cyprus is also in talks to join the USA visa waiver program. One of the pre-condition to join the visa waiver program is, a nation should have a rejection rate of less than 3%. As per the statistics of November 2024, Cyprus’s visa rejection rate is 2.16%, making it eligible for visa free access to the US for up to 90 days.
The President has also announced that Cyprus has entered the final negotiation phase for the Visa Waiver program. The American delegation will visit the country for the implementation of the waiver program in coming weeks.
Cyprus Golden Visa Program Popularity since the announcement
Cyprus immigration programs have seen a major boost since the announcement. Millions of people have searched for the Cyprus Golden visa program over the internet. This program allows non-EU nationals to obtain residency by real-estate investment. A person has to invest €3,00,000 in real estate to obtain Cypriot residency.
This program offers the ability to study, work and live in Cyprus. However, after joining the Schengen region, this visa program will give immediate access to the all Schengen Area without additional travel restrictions. This change will allow tourists to stay for 90 days within a 180 days period.
Once Cyprus joins the Schengen region, the demand for Cyprus Golden visa is likely to increase along with the pressure from the European Union to terminate this program partially or completely. The same trend has been seen with the Netherlands, Hungary and Spain. Thus investors should take a step earlier if they are planning to settle in Cyprus, as the application cost and investment threshold could also rise.
