In an effort to facilitate increased tourist arrivals from Russia to Cyprus, the government said Cypriot consular services in Russia will issue ‘pre-approved’ visas to Russian nationals wishing to come to the island. Visa application forms will be filled out online on a Cyprus government website and the information submitted to the consular services.
Once the Cypriot consulate determines that everything is in order and that the applicant is not on any stop list, it will ‘pre-approve’ a visa and send it to the applicant via email.
Russian nationals with the pre-approved visas will be able to pass quickly through passport control once they land at Larnaca or Paphos. Moreover, they will no longer be subjected to questions regarding their purpose of visit to the island, their place of stay or how much money they have on their person and if they exceed their 90-day stay.
Currently, tourist visas issues issued to Russian and Ukrainian nationals are valid up to three years, but travellers are not allowed to stay on the island for more than 90 days over a period of six months.
Once the Cypriot consulate determines that everything is in order and that the applicant is not on any stop list, it will ‘pre-approve’ a visa and send it to the applicant via email.
Russian nationals with the pre-approved visas will be able to pass quickly through passport control once they land at Larnaca or Paphos. Moreover, they will no longer be subjected to questions regarding their purpose of visit to the island, their place of stay or how much money they have on their person and if they exceed their 90-day stay.
Currently, tourist visas issues issued to Russian and Ukrainian nationals are valid up to three years, but travellers are not allowed to stay on the island for more than 90 days over a period of six months.
Financial Mirror, April 15, 2009
