On Tuesday, 9th July, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives discussed a new draft law providing for the accession of the island state to the Visa Waiver Programme with the United States of America (USA).
As a result, officials decided to submit the matter for urgent consideration by the House at its next session, which will take place this week.
It should be noted that on 17 June, representatives of the Cypriot and US governments signed an intergovernmental agreement on the exchange of travel information, including a risk assessment of persons whose entry is considered dangerous for either country. The main purpose of the cooperation is to allow Cypriot passport holders to travel to the US without a visa. Specifically, a special bill has been drafted that needs to be approved by the legislature.
Speaking at a House committee meeting, Justice and Public Order Minister Marios Hartsiotis said that if the bill is passed by the end of 2024, Cyprus will be included in the Visa Waiver Programme as early as 2025.
He also pointed out that Cyprus, along with Bulgaria and Romania, is one of the three European countries that does not have such an agreement with the US. Incidentally, the agreement includes the exchange of near real-time travel information between the two countries, with a commitment to confidentiality and the use of the data only to identify security threats or to enforce the law. As part of the agreement, the US is expected to provide Cyprus with a free software system to collect and analyse passenger data.
Hartsiotis said that the Commissioner for the Protection of Personal Data had already examined and approved the agreement, ensuring that it complies with local and European legislation. He added that Cyprus will greatly benefit from the exchange of information as it will strengthen its position against threats such as organised crime, drug trafficking and terrorism. The system will also provide mutual updates on suspicious travellers.
Under the Visa Waiver Programme, Cypriots who have obtained a passport with an embedded electronic chip will be able to request permission to travel to the US for up to 90 days on a B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourist) visa directly at the airport upon arrival. It is worth noting that this innovation does not remove the visa requirement for Cypriot tourists, but it does eliminate the need to apply in advance and undergo a personal interview with a US consular officer on the island before travelling.