Faq

Tourist Visas are issued by all the Diplomatic Missions (Embassies and General Consulates) and all the Honorary Consulates of the Republic of Cyprus in their respective countries. They can be extended for a maximum period of 3 months. Tourist Visas with the term FINAL can only be extended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in specific cases (e.g. humanitarian reasons, holders of property in Cyprus etc).

You can only apply for your entry permit visa once you have been accepted to study/work at the University of Cyprus. We will then provide you with an admission/employment letter and with an email explaining you the visa procedure.

Each document has its own verification formalities hence attestation varies depending upon each certificate. Most of the countries follow the below verification process as standard procedure: Home Ministry verification / Foreign Affairs verification / Embassy Attestation and finally Ministry of Foreign Affairs Attestation from the foreign country. However, the process may vary depending on the document and the laws of the origin and destination country and depending if your country is a full member of the Hague Convention. Please check the following webpage for details regarding the attestation procedure . In case your country is a full member of the Hague Convention, the verification can ONLY be done with the APOSTILLE STAMP.

The payment for the entry visa fees should be made via JCC SMART, through the website . (Application will not be processed without this non-refundable fee). If your country is not a member of the Hague Convention then a second payment must be done at the same link. The amount will be calculated according the number of documents you have.

No, visa fees once submitted to the Migration Department is non-refundable.

We strongly recommend not to book your flight until you have received the Visa/Blue Slip. Before booking your flight, you should also check the latest travel policies of your own government for any restrictions about leaving (and returning to) your country. Be aware that as long as there are travel restrictions in place, the availability of flights to and from Cyprus may be limited.

You are allowed to enter Cyprus as a tourist/visitor without obtaining an entry permit visa. However, you must be aware of the following: 1. a Researcher has to apply for the change of his/her status and when approved, then he/she will apply for the Temporary Residence Permit. 2. a student must leave the country and return with a student's Entry Permit to activate the students status.

Cyprus is not yet a member of the Schengen area, but holders of valid dual or multiple-entry Schengen visas can enter, stay and transit in or through Cyprus for tourism purpose, without the need for an additional visa. For more information please visit the following website .

EU citizens do not require a visa for entry to Cyprus, but they must carry a passport which must be valid at least until the day of departure from Cyprus, or their national identity card provided there is a photo and the citizenship is declared. The application for the issue of a Registration Certificate must be submitted by the European Union citizen and family members who are also citizens of a Member State, within four months from the date of entry into the Republic.

If you enter Cyprus on a tourist visa, this cannot be changed to a study visa once you’re here. Tourist visas only allow you to legally enter and remain in Cyprus for up to 90 days. You can leave Cyprus and re-enter as a student by applying for Entry Permit Visa. Please contact us for details.

The nationals of many non-EU countries do not require a visa to enter Cyprus for a stay not exceeding three months. Details of visa-exempt countries and visa application procedures are available on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website .

Cyprus Temporary Residence Permit, allows Non-European Union passport holders to extend their stay in Cyprus for more than 3 months (90 days). It will also enable tourists and visitors to extend their stay (and apply for another status) no matter what was the duration of their initial visa. They should apply before their current visa expires.

The Cyprus Civil Registry and Migration Department is responsible for issuing residence permit cards. The examination of an application for a residence permit depends on the category of residence and the complexity of the application. Students and Researchers have to expect their card to be issued after approximately 4 months.

The International Students and Staff Support Office will inform you when your residence permit card is ready to collect it from them.

YES! When a foreigner overstays the validity of their visa is illegal. This will likely be detected when the International student/Researcher leaves Cyprus and goes through passport control to have their passport and visa checked. Once they are identified as having overstayed, they will be declared undesirable and receive a ban on re-entering Cyprus until a certain period have lapsed.

We recommend that the student/staff remain in Cyprus while they await the outcome of their visa. If they want to travel to their home country, they can use the Receipt they have from the Migration Department. If it is mandatory to travel to another EU country, they must contact the respective country’s Embassy in Cyprus for advice.

If you wish to go to another country for a study trip or holiday, you should contact that country’s embassy in Cyprus to find out whether you need a visa and how to apply. However, your Temporary Residence Permit will be cancelled automatically if you’re absent from Cyprus for more than 3 consecutive months.

Temporary Residence Permit in Cyprus is valid for up to one year and can be renewed on an annual basis. You shall submit the application for renewing your residence permit at least one (1) month before the expiry of the residence permit you are holding.

Yes, Non-EU Researchers are able to bring their family members (spouse or child) in Cyprus with them as their dependants. Please contact us for details.

Unfortunately, no. According to Cyprus legislation, you cannot bring your spouse on a dependent visa if you are a student.

When a third country national is invited in Cyprus for tourist reasons, the assumption for responsibility of hosting form is completed and submitted along with a bank guarantee and a copy of the foreigner’s passport.

This is a person who has fled his or her country of origin and is seeking recognition and protection as a refugee in the Republic of Cyprus, and whose application is still under examination. In case the application is rejected, they will need to leave the country voluntarily or face deportation. The asylum seekers are allowed to study at the University of Cyprus, provided that they have been accepted to register to a Program of Study at the University of Cyprus. (Of course, for the asylum seekers there is the possibility of not obtaining a visa and forced to leave the country. In such a case, the studies at the University are also interrupted).

Yes, they may study at the UCY. Resettled refugees are permanent residents on arrival and have all the rights of other permanent residents.

According to the Cyprus Refugee Law, once you are recognised as a refugee or granted subsidiary protection, you will have immediate access to employment from the date your status is granted. There are no restrictions to working in a particular sector or occupation.

The Civil Registry and Migration Department is at Arch. Makariou Avenue, 90, 1077, Nicosia.

Finding accommodation in these troubled times can be difficult, but we have implemented a dedicated Housing Office to support our students/staff. Should you have any problem finding temporary or long-term accommodation, please contact housing.

Non-EU students who came in Cyprus after 1st of December 2024, are not allowed to work.

You can find instructions for the issuance of the University Student’s card here.

Primarily, you must reside in the areas that are controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. If you are a resident of the government-controlled areas you are a GHS beneficiary if a) you are employed, or b) you have acquired permanent residence status, or c) you have been granted refugee or supplementary protection status, or d) you are a member of the family of a beneficiary or e) you are insured in another EU Member State. For more information regarding the GHS you can visit the Cyprus Government Web Portal

Students/Staff with immigration and visa-related queries can contact the International Students and Staff Support Office by phone 00357 22894050 or email

The University of Cyprus is working hard to answer all relevant questions. If you have any specific questions about your visa/residence application process, that are not answered in this FAQ, please contact us on the following phone 00357 22894050 or email