Cyprus is an island that attracts fans of exotic culture and beautiful nature. Relaxing here, you can feel like in paradise, enjoying the atmosphere prevailing here. Many Russian tourists want to arrange their vacation here and often wonder if a Schengen visa is required in Cyprus. Yes, I need it. Further we will consider how to get Schengen to Cyprus and what should be taken into account when planning this procedure.
General features of entry to Cyprus
It should be noted that Cyprus is an island with a special structure. It is divided into three administrative units, of which only the southern part of the island is intended for tourists from all over the world and belongs to the state jurisdiction of Greece. The northern part of the island is a small but independent state, which, by the way, is recognized only by Turkey. The rest of the island is a platform for hosting military bases in the UK.
In order for Russian citizens to enter the north of Cyprus, where tourism infrastructure is also well developed, you do not need to arrange a visa in advance, since no special permission is required to perform such an action. We will talk about the features of visiting this region for the purpose of tourism a little later.
In order to visit the main part of Cyprus, Russians need to get a visa in advance. Is it possible to fly to Schengen to Cyprus? Yes, you can, since this island is part of the European Union. Moreover, your trip can be made on a national visa specially issued for that. As noted in the established rules, it is also possible to visit the island even if there is a pass issued by partner countries (Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania). With Schengen in Cyprus, you can visit the northern part of the island. It should be noted that if there is a stamp in the passport on visiting this region, the tourist will not be able to go to the southern part of the island.
Visiting Cyprus without a visa: who is eligible?
The current rules establish a specific list of persons who are entitled to visit the island in question without special permission. These include those who have a residence permit in the region. The presence of a Schengen visa to visit Cyprus is also not required if the person has the citizenship of any of the states that are part of the European Union. Exceptions to this rule are persons with the citizenship of the United Kingdom or Ireland, this rule does not apply to them.
Entrance to the northern part of Cyprus
It should be noted that Russian citizens have the right to visit Cyprus without a Schengen visa. However, for this you should plan your vacation exclusively within the northern part of the resort.
In order to freely cross the state border, upon arrival at the airport, Russians must present a valid passport to the migration officer. It stamped with the time, point and date of arrival. Under the visa-free regime, Russian citizens have the right to stay in the northern part of Cyprus for 30 calendar days.
It should be noted that the Russians who took this opportunity to visit the resort without a visa do not have the right to travel to the main part of Cyprus without a Schengen visa. Moreover, they do not even have the opportunity to leave the island through its southern part - for returning you will need to get to the Turkish airport and make a flight from it.
Features of visiting Cyprus on a Schengen visa
When planning a trip to Cyprus in Schengen, you need to know about some of the rules that are established by the state. All of them are registered in a separate regulation, which can be found on the official website of the state representative office.
It should be noted that in fact there are two types of Schengen in Cyprus: multivisa and one-time. So, if the permit is one-time, it means that on its basis the tourist has the right to cross the border twice: there and back. As practice shows, the design of such a document is ideal for those who are sent to Cyprus for tourism. In the event that there is a need to cross the island’s border several times, it is best to apply for a multi-visa, which gives the right to an unlimited number of visits to the region. Both types of permits have the same validity period - it allows for an unhindered stay in Cyprus for 90 days out of 180. It should be noted that the deadlines must be observed, because in case of violation of the visa regime, the tourist will be denied entry not only to Cyprus, but also to the territory of all other countries of the European Union.
How to get Schengen in Cyprus? Where should I go and what documents should be provided for this? Consider all the questions below.
Where to go
In order to obtain a visa to Cyprus (Schengen), you must apply to the visa department at the Consulate General. The applicant must present the documents in person, confirming each available copy with the original.
Practice shows that travel agencies with special accreditation, as well as independent visa centers can provide significant assistance in the preparation of the type of document under consideration. It should be noted that in this case, tourists need to be prepared for the overpayment, which is taken for the services provided.
Where is the mission of the diplomatic mission
Citizens of the Russian Federation who wish to visit Cyprus must provide all the necessary documents to the Consulate General. This representative office of the diplomatic mission is located in the Russian capital at the address: Povarskaya street, 9. The second such institution is located in St. Petersburg at the address: Furshtatskaya street, 27.
These institutions accept applications for consideration from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and ready-made permits can be collected from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
List of documents
What documents should an applicant submit to the visa department of a diplomatic mission representative office? First of all, one must include a valid passport, the validity of which should be at least 90 days from the date of the expected date of issue of the entry permit. It is necessary to attach the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation and a couple of color photos of the established sample (size 3 x 4 cm) to this document. The applicant is also required to attach to the general package of documents copies of all completed pages of passports.
In the visa department, special attention is paid to the availability of a potential tourist a place to stay, designed for the entire period of his stay on the island. Its availability should be documented by providing a voucher for booking a hotel room or a certificate of the availability of real estate in Cyprus. In the event that the tourist plans a trip to his friends or relatives who have their own housing on the island, he can provide an invitation letter, which must be notarized.
To all these documents, the tourist must provide a competently completed questionnaire with a photograph independently pasted into it. The form of this document can be requested at the office of the representative office of the diplomatic mission of Cyprus (in Russia) or downloaded in advance on the official website of this state organization.
Terms of consideration and cost
In accordance with the established rules, all documents filed in the prescribed manner are considered within 1-2 business days. This is practiced if the package of documents is submitted to the visa department of the diplomatic mission.
In the event that the documents are submitted for the preparation of provisions, then their consideration is carried out within a day (usually about 15 hours).
Registration of any type of Schengen in Cyprus for citizens of the Russian Federation is free of charge, which attracts tourists from different regions of Russia.
Visa refusal
Practice shows that in some cases, a representative office of a state diplomatic mission may refuse to grant a visa giving the right to visit Cyprus. What are the reasons for this? One of the most common among them is the inclusion of a person applying for a visa on the black list of Cyprus. As a rule, those people who previously violated the visa regime or committed an offense while staying on the island get into it.
Refusal to issue Schengen to Cyprus can also be made if the person has submitted an incomplete package of documents. In this case, the situation can be corrected by submitting the missing papers and updating the application.
Tourists who have a stamp in their passport on visiting the territory of Northern Cyprus are guaranteed a refusal to provide permission to enter Cyprus according to Schengen.