Will Cyprus Join the Schengen Zone Soon?
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Cyprus is resolving technical issues before joining the Schengen zone, the president said. Apart from it, only one country is not in the Schengen zone — EU member Ireland.
"We have resolved all political issues related to the ceasefire line [with the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus], and are now working out the technical details necessary for accession," he said, noting that Cyprus, along with Ireland, are the last two EU countries not in the Schengen zone. Inclusion in it will be useful for the country in terms of tourism and investment, said the country's president, Nikos Christodoulides.
In December last year, the Cypriot authorities tightened visa requirements for Russians, making them similar to the Schengen ones. Among the main innovations is an increase in the period for considering a visa application to 15 days before departure to the country. Previously, documents could be accepted three to four days before departure, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia indicated. In addition, consular officers will need to provide an extract from the Russian Social Fund for the last ten years, bank statements with transactions for three months, as well as salary information for six months (previously, it was necessary for a month).
On January 1, Bulgaria and Romania fully entered the Schengen zone. From that moment, border control was abolished on land borders with these countries. From March 31, 2024, border control was abolished at sea and air borders.
Austria blocked the complete abolition of border control for almost two years, whose authorities feared the penetration of illegal migrants into the EU. In early December, the head of the Austrian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that the country would lift its veto on the expansion of the Schengen agreement, noting that "migrants no longer pass" into the Schengen territory."
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Cyprus is resolving technical issues before joining the Schengen zone, the president said. Apart from it, only one country is not in the Schengen zone — EU member Ireland.
"We have resolved all political issues related to the ceasefire line [with the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus], and are now working out the technical details necessary for accession," he said, noting that Cyprus, along with Ireland, are the last two EU countries not in the Schengen zone. Inclusion in it will be useful for the country in terms of tourism and investment, said the country's president, Nikos Christodoulides.
In December last year, the Cypriot authorities tightened visa requirements for Russians, making them similar to the Schengen ones. Among the main innovations is an increase in the period for considering a visa application to 15 days before departure to the country. Previously, documents could be accepted three to four days before departure, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia indicated. In addition, consular officers will need to provide an extract from the Russian Social Fund for the last ten years, bank statements with transactions for three months, as well as salary information for six months (previously, it was necessary for a month).
On January 1, Bulgaria and Romania fully entered the Schengen zone. From that moment, border control was abolished on land borders with these countries. From March 31, 2024, border control was abolished at sea and air borders.
Austria blocked the complete abolition of border control for almost two years, whose authorities feared the penetration of illegal migrants into the EU. In early December, the head of the Austrian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that the country would lift its veto on the expansion of the Schengen agreement, noting that "migrants no longer pass" into the Schengen territory."
