What are the penalties for violating the visa regime?

Sanctions are provided for violators who exceed the permitted stay in the Republic of Cyprus, restricting the rights of offenders.

• Stop-list
• Duration of stay in the stop-list
• Removing a citizen from the stop-list
• Frequently Asked Questions

Stop-list

If you exceed the stay period in Cyprus by even one day, you will be included in the so-called stop-list. According to Cypriot legislation, this means that you will not be able to enter the country until your name is removed from this list.

Duration of stay in the stop-list

An offender is indefinitely included in the stop-list, despite information online mentioning five years. Fortunately, there are legal ways to be removed from this list.

Removing a citizen from the stop-list

To be removed from the stop-list, you need to contact lawyers—they have the right to request the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to remove the violator from the list, especially if the violation was minor.

It is important to note that before contacting the Ministry, you must stay outside of Cyprus for an equal or longer period than the duration of the legal violation on the island.

Frequently Asked Questions about violating the visa regime in Cyprus

Does the stop-list only prohibit visiting Cyprus?

Formally yes, but Cyprus already uses the Visa Information System (VIS), which is accessible to all countries that are members of the European Union. Therefore, the entry ban may extend to many other European countries. And after Cyprus joins the Schengen Area, it will definitely apply to all Schengen Agreement countries.

How can I find out if I am in the stop-list?

There is no public access to this document, but lawyers can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs upon special request. We have a list of law firms that have experience working with citizens of the Russian Federation and former CIS countries.

What else can be done if you end up in the stop-list?

You can try writing to the Data Protection Officer (DPO) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who can advise individuals in the VIS system. To do this, email [email protected].

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