Authorities issue visas to foreigners who wish to enter their nation. Multiple different types of visas are available, with the most common ones being issued to tourists, for business purposes or to facilitate those in-transit.
Travel without the restriction or requirement of a visa allows individuals to visit countries without the need to complete long visa methods. Those with citizenship in a specific country can enjoy visa free travel to other destinations if there is an agreement or treaty in effect between the authorities of those two nations, or if the borders are unilaterally open to the recipient country.
According to the Global Passport Index (2019), the Cyprus passport benefits are numerous. It ranks 8 in regards to freedom of travel, with the index rating a total of 219 destinations and 199 passports. An essential benefit of taking up Cyprus citizenship either by naturalization or citizenship by investment is to get access to travel to 122 countries visa-free, a visa on arrival for 39 countries, and require permission for only 37 countries. Apart from the benefits of travel without the need for a visa, Cyprus is a picturesque location with sunny weather, a growing economy, and excellent healthcare, making it a popular destination for a second passport. You can undertake citizenship programs to learn more about the same.
The Advantages of Travelling Visa Free
- There’s no requirements to complete long applications or provide any additional form of documentation, including photographs, banking statements, passport copies or written references from employers.
- Those with visa-free travel have no requirement to provide any confidential, sensitive or private data about themselves.
- No financial contribution is required towards a visa, meaning there is no need to pay the higher visa charges associated with developed countries.
- There are no lengthy waiting times on embassies or related bodies to complete the application process to issue their visa.
- One can enjoy travelling whenever they desire, with no need to take time in advance to plan the trip.
- You can avoid lengthy border control lines when you arrive in the country.
The Distinction Between Visa on Arrival and Visa-Free Travel
Visas on Arrival are allotted upon the visitor physically arriving in the nation. The process of releasing the visa must be started and finished at the nation’s port of arrival, where government officials generally examine the passport of the individual, along with taking any applicable payments for the visa and issuing it. Certain nations collect biometric data as well, including the fingerprints of visitors or an eye scan.
As usual, a visa on arrival will be stamped into the passport of the visitor, therefore, sufficient page space must be available in the passport. Receiving a visa on arrival is much more straightforward that obtaining one ahead of traveling, as the entire process is completed in a single location – the nation’s arrival port – and there is no expectation for the visitor to participate in time-consuming formal procedures within the embassy or consulate of the country.
Do note that certain nations will require visitors to provide evidence that they have an onward journey planned, as well as having adequate funds available and hotel bookings. Services for visa on arrival are usually available at major admission ports, including principal seaports and airports. If it is not possible to visit these facilities, visitors are required to ensure they already possess a regular embassy-issued visa ahead of their arrival.
Generally, visa on arrival facilities are separated from imigration control facilities. Officials handling payments for visas and issuing them differ from the officials who permit visitors to cross frontiers. This is in order to reduce any potential corruption taking place.
In contrast, visa free travel allows valid passport holders to arrive in a country with no need to make a visa application ahead of time, and without any requirements for them to complete a visa procedure on arrival in the destination. There are also no costs for entry, allowing travellers to visit a nation on a whim with no required documentation or planning.
Visa free travel benefits do not mean individuals can avoid a nation’s immigration control facilities though. Their passports must be checked at these facilities for legality, and may receive a stamp in their passport at this time.
Note that some nations including Japan and the United States only provide passport stamps upon entry. Others, such as the UAE and Singapore will stamp the passports of visitors both on entry and exit. Countries like Israel and Hong Kong do not provide passport stamps at all but instead issue landing slips, which visitors are not required to present on their departure.
Regardless of the visa conditions for your travel, it is crucial that you do not overstay during your visit to a country. Even visa free entry only permits the visitor to remain in the country for a limited period of time, which usually spans between two weeks and three months, although this can be extended in some circumstances to between six and 12 months. Staying more than that is illegal and can result in civil or criminal charges being brought against the individual and limitations being imposed on future travel.
A List of Visa Travel Countries in the Schengen Area for Cypriot Citizens
Although Cyprus, which entered the EU on 1 May 2004, is lawfully obliged to join the Schengen Area, implementation got delayed because of the Cyprus conflict. As of 2019, no date has been fixed yet for application of the Schengen rules by Cyprus. Cyprus has less possible benefit from an implementation of Schengen, for it has no land border with another EU member state. It requires air travel or around 12 hours of sea travel to reach the nearest EU member.
Those with a Cyprus passport can travel to the Schengen countries under EU Freedom of Movement. All they need is a valid ID card for a seamless trip without internal border checks.
The Cyprus passport visa free countries list in the Schengen area includes:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- SpainSweden
- Switzerland
Below is a comprehensive list of countries offering visa free travel to holders of a Cyprus passport for 2019.
Country | Visa status | Maximum number of days allowed |
Afghanistan | Visa is needed | |
Albania | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Algeria | Visa is needed | |
Andorra | Visa is not needed | |
Angola | e Visa | 30 days |
Antigua and Barbuda | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
Argentina | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Armenia | Visa is not needed | 180 days |
Australia | E Visitor | 90 days |
Austria | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Azerbaijan | e Visa | 30 days |
Bahamas | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
Bahrain | e Visa / Visa on arrival | 14 days |
Bangladesh | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
Barbados | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
Belarus | Visa is not needed | 30 days |
Belgium | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Belize | Visa is not needed | 1 month |
Benin | e Visa / Visa on arrival | 30 days / 8 days |
Bhutan | Visa is needed | |
Bolivia | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Botswana | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Brazil | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Brunei | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Bulgaria | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Burkina Faso | Visa is needed | |
Burundi | Visa is needed | |
Cambodia | e Visa / Visa on arrival | 30 days |
Cameroon | Visa is needed | |
Canada | Visa is not needed | 6 months |
Cape Verde | Visa is not needed | 30 days |
Central African Republic | Visa is needed | |
Chad | Visa is needed | |
Chile | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
China | Visa is needed | |
Colombia | Visa is not needed | 180 days |
Comoros | Visa on arrival | |
Republic of the Congo | Visa is needed | |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Visa is needed | |
Costa Rica | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Côte d’Ivoire | Visa is needed | |
Croatia | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Cuba | Tourist Card needed | |
Czech Republic | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Denmark | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Djibouti | e Visa | 31 days |
Dominica | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Dominican Republic | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Ecuador | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Egypt | e Visa / Visa on arrival | 30 days |
El Salvador | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
Equatorial Guinea | Visa is needed | |
Eritrea | Visa is needed | |
Estonia | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Eswatini | Visa is not needed | 30 days |
Ethiopia | e Visa | up to 90 days |
Fiji | Visa is not needed | 4 months |
Finland | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
France | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement (in Regions of France)/ ID card valid |
Gabon | e Visa / Visa on arrival | 90 days |
Gambia | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Georgia | Visa is not needed | 1 year |
Germany | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Ghana | Visa is needed | |
Greece | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Grenada | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
Guatemala | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Guinea | Visa is needed | |
Guinea-Bissau | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
Guyana | Visa is needed | |
Haiti | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Honduras | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
Hungary | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Iceland | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
India | e-Visa | 60 days |
Indonesia | Visa is not needed | 30 days |
Iran | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
Iraq | Visa is needed | 15 days |
Ireland | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Israel | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
Italy | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement |
Jamaica | Visa is not needed | |
Japan | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Jordan | Free visa on arrival | |
Kazakhstan | Visa is not needed | 30 days |
Kenya | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
Kiribati | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
North Korea | Visa is needed | |
South Korea | Visa is not needed | 30 days |
Kuwait | e Visa / Visa on arrival | 3 months |
Kyrgyzstan | e Visa / Visa on arrival | 60 days |
Laos | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
Latvia | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Lebanon | Visa on arrival | 1 month |
Lesotho | Visa is not needed | |
Liberia | Visa is needed | |
Libya | Visa is needed | |
Liechtenstein | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Lithuania | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Luxembourg | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Madagascar | Free visa on arrival | 30 days |
Malawi | Visa on arrival | |
Malaysia | Visa is not needed | 30 days |
Maldives | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
Mali | Visa is needed | |
Malta | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Marshall Islands | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Mauritania | Visa on arrival | |
Mauritius | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Mexico | Visa is not needed | 180 days |
Micronesia | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Monaco | Visa is not needed | |
Mongolia | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
Montenegro | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Morocco | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Mozambique | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
Myanmar | e Visa | 28 days |
Namibia | Visa is needed | |
Nauru | Visa is needed | |
Nepal | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
Netherlands | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement (European Netherlands)/ ID card valid |
New Zealand | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
Nicaragua | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Niger | Visa is needed | |
Nigeria | Visa is needed | |
North Macedonia | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Norway | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Oman | e Visa | 30 days |
Pakistan | Online Visa | |
Palau | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Panama | Visa is not needed | 180 days |
Papua New Guinea | e Visa / Free visa on arrival | 60 days |
Paraguay | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Peru | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Philippines | Visa is not needed | 30 days |
Poland | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Portugal | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Qatar | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Romania | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Russia | Visa is needed | |
Rwanda | e Visa / Visa on arrival | 30 days |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
Saint Lucia | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Saint Vincent and Grenadines | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Samoa | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
San Marino | Visa is not needed | |
São Tomé and Príncipe | Visa is not needed | 15 days |
Saudi Arabia | Visa is not needed | |
Senegal | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Serbia | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Seychelles | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
Sierra Leone | Visa is needed | |
Singapore | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Slovakia | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Slovenia | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Solomon Islands | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Somalia | Visa on arrival | |
South Africa | Visa is not needed | 30 days |
South Sudan | Visa is needed | |
Spain | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Sri Lanka | e Visa / Visa on arrival | 30 days |
Sudan | Visa is needed | |
Suriname | e Visa | |
Sweden | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Switzerland | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement/ID card valid |
Syria | Visa is needed | |
Tajikistan | e Visa | 45 days |
Tanzania | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Thailand | Visa on arrival | 15 days |
Timor-Leste | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Togo | Visa on arrival | 7 days |
Tonga | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Trinidad and Tobago | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Tunisia | Visa is needed | |
Turkey | e Visa | 1 month |
Turkmenistan | Visa is needed | |
Tuvalu | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Uganda | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
Ukraine | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
United Arab Emirates | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
United Kingdom | Visa is not needed | Freedom of movement (in Constituent countries)/ ID card valid |
United States | Visa is needed | |
Uruguay | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Uzbekistan | Visa is not needed | 30 days |
Vanuatu | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Vatican City | Visa is not needed | |
Venezuela | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Vietnam | e Visa | 30 days |
Yemen | Visa is needed | |
Zambia | Visa is not needed | 90 days |
Zimbabwe | Visa is not needed | 3 months |
General Points Before Travelling
There are certain general points that must be kept in mind while travelling.
Passport validity
The required length of validity for a passport varies between nations. The majority of countries require individuals to have a passport which is valid for a minimum of six months from their arrival date. Certain nations also have mutual relationships between them, which extends to reduced passport validity lengths for their citizens or even the acceptance of expired passports on arrival.
Blank pages in a passport
Most nations require the visitor to present a minimum amount of pages in their passport as blank. This is usually between one and two pages and does not include signature pages, which tend to be after visa pages in a passport.
Vaccination requirements
Passengers must provide evidence that they have received a yellow fever vaccination through their International Certificate of Vaccination. The majority of African countries demand that all passengers coming into the nation are in possession of a current and valid International Certificate of Vaccination, with some destinations only requiring certification for visitors travelling from or having recently visited infected areas.
Cyprus passport holders can enjoy the benefit of visa free travel both in the Schengen area and across the globe. Cypriot citizens can do away with inconveniences and complications associated with visa applications, whether they are travelling for business or leisure. All this is possible with proper citizenship planning.
To learn more about Cyprus citizenship visa free countries, and the overall process to secure second citizenship, you can get in touch with us to book an appointment now! Our friendly and knowledgeable team are waiting to give you the advice you need. If you want to get dual citizenship then contact us today!