Do Citizens of the Republic of Cyprus Need a Visa to Enter the United States?

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) was first established in 1986 in an effort to boost U.S. tourism. Citizens of the 35 VWP countries are eligible to enter the United States without a visa for a visit lasting up to 90 days. But are citizens of the Republic of Cyprus entitled to enter the United States on the Visa Waiver Program, or do they require a visa?

Participating Visa Waiver Countries

Participating Visa Waiver countries include Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Cyprus is not a participant in the Visa Waiver Program, which means that citizens of Cyprus must apply for a visa prior to travel.

Unauthorised Travel

If you attempt to travel under the VWP as a Cypriot citizen and complete the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) form that is available for citizens from participating VWP countries, you will be met with a "Travel Not Authorized" message response from ESTA and denied entry into the United States under the current VWP rules and regulations. However, unauthorized travel under the VWP does not mean that you are deemed inadmissible into the United States. It simply means that you must first obtain a non-immigrant visa before you can legally enter the United States for pleasure or medical treatment.

Obtaining a B-2 Tourist Visa

Cypriot citizens should visit the United States Department of State Web site. Temporary visitors who plan to enter the United States as tourists for pleasure or medical treatment need to obtain a B-2 Tourist Visa, which is generally valid for 6 months. Cypriot citizens should apply for a B-2 Tourist Visa from the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus, rather than abroad, as doing so can take longer to process an application. Make sure you apply in advance and that you do not make any firm travel plans until you have obtained your B-2 Tourist Visa. B-2 Tourist Visa applicants from the age 14 to 79 are usually required to attend an interview at the U.S. Embassy. Contact the U.S. Embassy for an interview and wait for an appointment.

Cypriot citizens are inadmissible into the United States under the VWP. However, they are legally entitled to enter the country under the B-2 Tourist Visa for pleasure or for medical treatment provided all goes well during the application and interview process.

Source:

U.S. Department of State