Cyprus may join the Schengen area this year

During his speech, Nicos Christodoulidis emphasized that membership in the Schengen area would bring benefits to Cyprus, especially in the areas of tourism and investment. According to him, a special group in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is overseeing this issue.

We have addressed all political concerns about the ceasefire line and are now finalizing the technical details necessary for accession

He also said that the Republic is in the final stages of abolishing US visa requirements for Cypriot travelers. A US delegation is expected to visit Cyprus shortly on this issue, with announcements to follow.

Cyprus has been a member state of the European Union since 2004. Although its residents enjoy freedom of movement within the 27-nation bloc, the island in the eastern Mediterranean is not yet part of the Schengen area, which includes non-EU countries

This shift will require passports to be checked at checkpoints, changing their status and potentially increasing tensions. EU officials have warned that full Schengen membership would require changes to the Green Line Regulation, which governs travel across the divided island.

Cyprus is a unique case, as the island has been divided since 1974 between the Republic of Cyprus in the south and the Turkish-occupied north

Experts warn that if Cyprus joins Schengen without resolving this issue, the Green Line, which is currently a buffer zone, will become a hard external border of the EU.

Recall

On January 1, 2025, Romania and Bulgaria officially became part of the Schengen area. Passport checks at land borders have been canceled, making it easier to travel between EU countries.