Pérgamos

Passport validity requirements

To enter Cyprus, your passport must have:

• a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago
• an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue)
• at least one blank page for stamping

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to. 

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.

Dual nationals

When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or proof of right of abode. See Dual Citizenship.

Visa requirements

You can travel without a visa to Cyprus for up to 90 days. This applies if you travel:

• as a tourist
• to visit family or friends
• to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events
• for short-term studies or training

At Cyprus border control, you may also need to:

• show a return or onward ticket
• prove that you have enough money for your stay

The requirements for working in Cyprus are different.

Cyprus is not part of the Schengen area, so:

• visits to Cyprus do not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit in the Schengen area
• visits to other EU or Schengen countries do not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit in Cyprus
• Cyprus is not affected by the new Entry/Exit System (EES) that will be introduced in Schengen countries from 12 October 2025. You will not need to register for EES when entering Cyprus. Read more information on the EU Entry/Exit System and to understand which countries are in the Schengen area.

Make sure you get your passport stamped on entry and exit.       

If your passport is missing a stamp, show evidence of when and where you entered or left Cyprus (for example, boarding passes or tickets) and ask the border guards to add the date and location in your passport.

Read about passport stamping if you live in Cyprus.

Staying longer than 90 days in a 180-day period

To stay longer, check with the Cyprus High Commission.

Do not overstay your permitted time. You could be:

• questioned by immigration at the airport on exit
• put on a ‘stop list’ and refused entry for up to 5 years

Entry requirements for the north of Cyprus

The Republic of Cyprus authorities will count time in the north of Cyprus towards the 90-day visa-free total. You can use any crossing point to move between the north and south of the island.

See a list of the crossing points from the Cyprus Ministry of Finance.

Only pedestrians can use the crossing points at Ledra Palace and Ledra and Lokmaci Street.

If you enter the Republic of Cyprus through the north (such as through Ercan Airport), authorities will consider you to have entered illegally. You could be:

• fined for illegal entry
• refused entry to or exit from the Republic of Cyprus
• prevented from crossing back into the north of Cyprus

For more information about the north of Cyprus, see Regional risks.

UK residents of Cyprus or other EU countries

Residents should carry residency documents issued by the Republic of Cyprus when entering and exiting Cyprus.

If you have a Withdrawal Agreement residency document for another country, your passport might still be stamped if you are a visitor to Cyprus.

Vaccine requirements

For details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Cyprus guide.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Cyprus. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Taking food into Cyprus

You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. There are some exceptions such as powdered baby milk, baby food and special foods or pet feed required for medical reasons.

Customs rules between the north and south of Cyprus

There are controls on quantities and types of goods that can be bought in the north of Cyprus and taken across the ‘Green Line’ to the south of the island. This includes goods from the bicommunal village of Pyla in the buffer zone.

For example, the Republic of Cyprus enforces a 40-cigarette per person limit. The authorities can confiscate goods at the checkpoint and you could be fined.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Cyprus. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Taking food into Cyprus

You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. There are some exceptions such as powdered baby milk, baby food and special foods or pet feed required for medical reasons.

Customs rules between the north and south of Cyprus

There are controls on quantities and types of goods that can be bought in the north of Cyprus and taken across the ‘Green Line’ to the south of the island. This includes goods from the bicommunal village of Pyla in the buffer zone.

For example, the Republic of Cyprus enforces a 40-cigarette per person limit. The authorities can confiscate goods at the checkpoint and you could be fined.

Emergency services in Cyprus

Telephone: 112 (ambulance, fire, police)

Contact your travel provider and insurer

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.

Refunds and changes to travel

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including:

• where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
• how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim

Support from FCDO

FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including:

• finding English-speaking lawyers in Cyprus and lawyers in the north of Cyprus
• finding English-speaking funeral directors in Cyprus and funeral directors in the north of Cyprus
• finding English-speaking translators and interpreters in Cyprus and translators and interpreters in the north of Cyprus
• dealing with a death in Cyprus
• being arrested in Cyprus
• getting help if you’re a victim of crime
• what to do if you’re in hospital
• if you’re affected by a crisis, such as a terrorist attack

Contacting FCDO

Help abroad

See how to get help from the UK government abroad including in an emergency.

Help in the UK

You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)

Find out about call charges

Get travel advice updates

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Follow FCDO: 

• travel advice on X
• travel advice on Facebook

Regional tensions

The US and Iran announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 17 June  in relation to the conflict in the Middle East, however the situation in the Middle East remains unpredictable.

If affected, British Nationals should:

• read If you’re affected by a crisis abroad - GOV.UK. This includes guidance on “how to prepare for a crisis” with suggestions on what you might include in your emergency supplies and “what to do in a crisis”
• sign up to FCDO Travel Advice email alerts
• monitor local and international media for the latest information
• sign up to local information alerts/resources and follow the instructions of the local authorities
• keep your departure plans under review, and ensure your travel documents are up to date

Wildfires in Cyprus

There is a high risk of wildfires during the summer season from April to October. For advice, visit the wildfires section on the Safety and security page.

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: 

• see general advice for women travellers
• read our guide on disability and travel abroad
• see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
• read about safety for solo and independent travel
• see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

About FCDO travel advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about the risks of travel, to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice. 

Get travel advice updates

Sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.

Follow FCDO: 

• travel advice on X
• travel advice on Facebook
• Travel Aware on Instagram

Laws and cultural differences

Illegal drugs

Cyprus has a strictly enforced zero-tolerance policy towards illegal drugs, including laughing gas and cannabis.

You should expect severe penalties such as a long jail sentence and heavy fines for possessing, using or smuggling illegal drugs, including when transiting through the airport.

Airports in Cyprus have excellent technology and security for detecting illegal items. This is also used to scan the baggage of transiting passengers.

LGBT+ travellers

Same-sex sexual activity is legal in the Republic of Cyprus and civil partnerships are recognised. However, they may not be as widely accepted as in the UK. Same-sex sexual activity is also legal in the north of Cyprus, but not widely accepted. 

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.

Dual nationals and military service

If you are of Cypriot descent, even if you do not have a nationality card, authorities may consider you eligible for military service. If this happens, you could have difficulties when exiting Cyprus, and you might have to prove that you live outside Cyprus.

Under international law, the British High Commission cannot intervene with Cypriot authorities on behalf of those considered to be dual Cypriot-British nationals. If you might be eligible for any local obligations or duties that apply to dual nationals, such as military service, contact the Cypriot authorities or a local lawyer before you travel.

The British High Commission has lists of English-speaking lawyers in Cyprus and in the north of Cyprus. See Getting help.

Surrogacy

The British High Commission cannot get involved in surrogacy arrangements.

The laws on surrogacy differ between the areas under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus and the north of Cyprus.

Republic of Cyprus

Surrogacy is strictly limited to cases where a woman is medically unable to carry a pregnancy. In all cases, court approval is required before any treatment begins. No form of financial compensation for the surrogate is allowed. Prospective parents and clinics may face criminal charges if they proceed without the appropriate approvals in place.

The north of Cyprus

Pursuing surrogacy in the north carries risks as clinics are not regulated and there is no legal framework governing arrangements. Legal transfer of parenthood can be complex as the birth mother is given automatic parental responsibility. Obtaining birth certificates can also be complicated and may take a long time.

The British High Commission’s ability to provide any assistance in the north of Cyprus is limited.

Surrogacy arrangements

Before entering into any surrogacy arrangements: 

• read FCDO and Home Office guidance on surrogacy overseas
• fully research hospitals and clinics to ensure they are safe and reputable
• seek specialist legal advice both in the UK and in Cyprus

Returning to the UK

Children born through surrogacy are not automatically entitled to British nationality. To bring your child born through surrogacy from Cyprus to the UK, you must apply for a full British passport for the child before you travel. The application process can take a significant amount of time, and even longer if supporting documentation has been issued in the north of Cyprus, due to the UK’s non-recognition of the authorities there. The maximum period you may be allowed to stay in Cyprus without a visa is 90 days.

Fertility treatment

Fertility treatment in the north of Cyprus carries risks as clinics are not regulated in the same way as in the UK. Make sure you conduct thorough research beforehand. Further information on fertility treatment abroad is available on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) website.

International parental child abduction

The authorities in the north of Cyprus do not act on British court orders. They will not share information with the British High Commission on children subject to UK court orders. This means the British High Commission cannot ensure that these children are properly safeguarded.

Using cameras in secure areas

Avoid taking photographs near sensitive areas, such as military buildings. If you do, the authorities could arrest you.