Cyprus

VISA REGIME

ENTERING AND LEAVING THE COUNTRY
The Government of the Republic of Cyprus has passed a decision on tighter control of entry of foreign nationals into its territory. Entry of foreign nationals into the Republic of Cyprus, whose final destination is in the occupied northern part of the island (for stay/overnight stay), is not allowed.
Persons who wish to enter the territory of the Republic of Cyprus must go through the legal border crossings which are in the area under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, such as the Larnaca and Paphos International Airports, and the Limassol and Larnaca Ports.
Persons arriving to the Republic of Cyprus through any illegal border crossing will be in violation of the laws of the Republic of Cyprus, and the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus may sanction and/or initiate court proceedings against such persons. The Ercan Airport in the northern part of the island is an illegal border crossing, as are ports Famagusta and Karavostasi, proclaimed closed in 1974 by the Republic of Cyprus.
Citizens of the Republic of Serbia do not need a visa to enter the territory of the Republic of Cyprus and stay for up to 90 days in a period of six months. They must have a biometric travel document valid minimum three months after the planned date of return. Visa-free regime does not apply to holders of passports issued by the Coordination Directorate of the Serbian Ministry of the Interior. It is not possible to obtain a visa, or a tourist pass at the border crossing.

SOCIAL SECURITY AGREEMENT
Social Security Agreement between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Cyprus entered into force in 2011. The Agreement enables exercising the right to retirement based on the insurance periods completed in both countries. If a person is not entitled to benefits based only on the insurance periods completed in both countries, insurance periods completed in a third-country territory, with which both Parties to the Agreement have signed a social security agreement, which foresees aggregation of insurance periods, will be taken into consideration.
The procedure for exercising the right to retirement is implemented in the Republic of Serbia through the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund of the Republic of Serbia, Directorate of the Fund in Belgrade, and the Directorate of the Provincial Fund in Novi Sad.
The liaison body for matters concerning the implementation of the Agreement, i.e. solving possible problems, in the Republic of Serbia is the Institute for Social Insurance.

USEFUL INFORMATION

HEALTH SITUATION — For personal safety while in Cyprus, travellers are advised to have health insurance. Costs of medical treatment and examination are very expensive (a specialist examination ranges 40−70 euros, and one day in hospital is 150 euros). Medical examinations are free of charge at the emergency services of the General Hospital in Nicosia (telephone numbers are 00 357 22 60 30 00 and 00 357 22 60 40 11).

SECURITY SITUATION — The security level is high, although the Republic of Cyprus has been effectively divided into two territories since the Turkish occupation of the northern part of the island in 1974, i.e. the territory under the control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus (two-thirds of the island), and a north part of the territory under the control of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (one third of the island). The so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has not been recognised by the Republic of Serbia or any third country, except for Turkey. The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has been deployed, patrolling the buffer zone, also called the Green Line.
Since 2003, it has been possible to cross over from the territory under the Government’s effective control onto the northern occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus, along the buffer zone where security is provided by the UN peacekeeping forces. There are nine checkpoints, where the police of the Republic of Cyprus conduct identity checks: Ledra Street (most visited) only for pedestrians, Ledra Palace, Ayios Dometios (vehicles only), Astromeritis/Zodhia (vehicles only), Pyla/Pergamos, Ayios Nikolaos/Strovolia, Pyrgos/Limnitis, Dherynia and Aplici/Lefka checkpoints.
The Government of the Republic of Cyprus allows movement and crossing through the mentioned checkpoints to all citizens of the Republic of Cyprus, EU and third-country citizens, provided that they have entered the territory of the Republic of Cyprus through legal border crossings in the area under the Government’s effective control.
The Republic of Cyprus does not guarantee safety and it is unable to help foreigners in case of accident, illness, theft and other extraordinary situations in the occupied part of the territory, and the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia is unable to provide any form of protection to the citizens of the Republic of Serbia who stay in the part under occupation. The vast majority of properties located in the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus, including hotels, restaurants, stores and other real estate, belong to displaced Cypriot Greeks who were forced to leave them during the Turkish invasion of 1974, or are properties illegally built on the property of the displaced Cypriot Greeks, thus in violation of property rights of the displaced persons. Citizens of the Republic of Serbia are advised not to acquire property in the occupied part of Cyprus, as they may face long court proceedings leading to serious financial repercussions.

TRANSPORT — In Cyprus, they drive on the left-hand side of the road. There are no toll roads. Speed limit on the motorway is 100 km/h but driving up to 120 km/h is tolerated. Drivers speeding up to 150 km/h will be fined, and jailed if speeding over 150 km/h. Driver using a mobile phone while driving will be fined 150 euros and if they repeat the offence, they will be fined 300 euros. Fines for drunk driving range between 125 and 500 euros. Causing a traffic accident by driving under the influence of alcohol carry a sentence of imprisonment (of one to eight months) and a fine (1,500−5,000 euros).
Based on the Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Driver’s Licences between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Cyprus, holders of a valid national (Serbian) driver’s licence may use their licence to drive in the Republic of Cyprus for six months after entry. After those six months, they must exchange their licence for a corresponding Cypriot one.
AIR SERBIA representative office is in Nicosia, and the contact telephone number is: 00 357 22 75 35 00. The Immigration Service at the Larnaca International Airport is available at this contact number: 00 357 24 80 43 21.
For airport flight arrival and departure information, please contact telephone number: 00 357 24 80 43 36. For the Limassol Port schedule, please contact telephone number: 00 357 25 80 53 43.
There are no regular bus shuttles from the airport to major cities. The Kapnos Airport Shuttle Company, which has an office at the airport, offers taxi services and minibuses (contact telephone number: 00 357 77 77 14 77).

OTHER INFORMATION — The official currency is the euro. It is permitted to take up to 10,000 euros into or out of the country, however any larger amount must be declared. It is also permitted to bring a carton of cigarettes (200 pcs.) and one litre of alcoholic drinks into the country. Hunting weapons and pets, if accompanied with appropriate certificates, may be brought into the country.
Proof of means of subsistence per day of intended stay is not mandatory.

Contact information:
For consular assistance and protection while in the Republic of Cyprus, please contact the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Nicosia (Address: 2 Vasilissis Olgas Str, 1101 Engomi, Nicosia), at the following telephone numbers: (00 357) 22 77 75 11, 22 77 29 24, or email: nicosia@serbia.org.cy.