Cyprus has tightened visa requirements for Russian citizens from 11 December 2024.
This was announced by the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).
According to the list of documents provided by the consulate, the process of obtaining a short-term visa has become more complicated: it will take more time - up to 15 days. There are also new requirements for bank statements, salary statements, social fund statements and letters of sponsorship.
ATOR stressed that the tightening of visa procedures could have a negative impact on the flow of tourists to Cyprus, which is already limited due to the lack of direct flights and difficulties with transport through other countries.
The tightening of visa procedures will, of course, have a negative impact on the flow of tourists to Cyprus, but even now the destination is far from the tourist flow indicators it was when there were direct flights to the island. It is worth noting that even before the new visa rules were introduced, obtaining a Cypriot visa was a rather complicated procedure, which in itself, together with the lack of direct flights, significantly limited the flow of tourists. Now Cyprus is on a par with the Schengen area, which has almost similar visa requirements. In addition, Russians do not have many options for getting to Cyprus. Air transport is limited and the most popular option is via Yerevan, but this is clearly not enough to ensure a significant flow of tourists. At the same time, transit via Istanbul is completely excluded due to the lack of air traffic, and flights from Dubai and Doha are rather limited," the experts said.
The main changes in obtaining a visa to Cyprus for Russians:
- The deadlines for processing visa applications to Cyprus have been extended: now the 'list' prescribes 15 calendar days before departure, although previously the documents could be accepted 3-4 days before departure and there was still time to issue a visa.
- It is mandatory to submit an extract from the Social Fund of the Russian Federation for the last 10 years, with a digital signature.
- Bank statements for the last three months are required.
- Salary information from the employer is now required for 6 months. Previously it was possible to simply state the monthly salary on a certificate of employment.
- Russian passport - all passport pages with stamps are now required.