Cyprus Sets Sights on Schengen: Full Entry Expected by 2026
On Sunday, May 11, 2025, President of Cyprus Nicos Christodoulides announced that the Republic of Cyprus is on track to join the Schengen Area in 2026.
“We will join the Schengen zone in 2026. A significant technical effort is underway to complete all necessary requirements by the end of 2025. This is our goal, and we are committed to fulfilling all obligations as a state in order to achieve Schengen accession in 2026,” Christodoulides stated.
He also emphasized the importance of support from the European Parliament in achieving this objective. Expressing satisfaction with his recent meeting with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, the president said her backing is instrumental to the process.
During her visit on Saturday, Metsola affirmed the European Parliament’s commitment to Cyprus' accession efforts, stating, “We will always be by your side and will actively support you.”
Accession to the Schengen zone would mean the removal of internal border checks between Cyprus and 29 other European countries. Air and maritime travellers to the continent would no longer require passport or ID checks, greatly easing cross-border movement.
Cyprus remains one of only two EU member states not currently part of the Schengen Area, following the accession of Bulgaria and Romania earlier this year.
The Schengen zone also includes four non-EU countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
One particular area of focus in the process is the Green Line, which, although not legally considered an external border, still requires stringent controls and compliance with EU frontier standards.
If Cyprus meets all technical criteria, the final phase of the accession process will involve an evaluation and political approval by EU institutions.
Author: Kosasvili Georgios
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