After Qatar, could Cyprus be next for the US Visa Waiver Program?
Cyprus is vying to join the US Visa Waiver Program amid competition with Romania and other hopefuls, facing hurdles but chasing significant travel and trade gains.
The Qataris will soon be able to travel to the United States without a visa for stays up to 90 days as of December 1, 2024. The small Gulf state joins what has become a prestigious group—the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) after becoming the first country in the Gulf region to qualify.
The race is now on to see who might follow. Cyprus has been pushing toward American approval for years, and momentum is building. In June 2024, Nicosia took a key step by signing a bilateral agreement on sharing traveler-risk information. The pact passed into law in July, paving the way for a joint data-sharing system aimed at identifying and monitoring high-risk travelers.
The Cypriot government hasn’t hidden its goal: joining the VWP by the end of 2024 or early 2025. It’s an ambitious timetable that reflects considerable determination in Nicosia. But the road remains long and strewn with conditions.
The biggest stumbling block? Visa-refusal rates must fall below 3% to qualify—not an easy threshold. Last year Cyprus still posted a 4.48% refusal rate.
The US State Department watches that metric closely, and while it has improved, it’s still above Washington’s comfort level.
Additional concerns involve border and document security. The US demands air-tight measures, including deployment of ultra-secure biometric passports and beefed-up border inspections. For a small, divided island like Cyprus, meeting those standards is a major undertaking.
Is the prize worth it? Almost certainly. The visa-waiver perk drives tourism and trade, and Cypriot entrepreneurs would gain far easier access to the American market. Analysts anticipate a boost in cross-border investment between the two nations—if—and only if—Cyprus clears all remaining hurdles.
Below is a snapshot of passenger traffic gains recorded by other countries after they joined the VWP.
Country | VWP Joining Year | Pre-VWP Travelers | Pre-VWP Year | Post-VWP Travelers | Post-VWP Year | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
South Korea | 2008 | 800,000 | 2007 | 1.1 million | 2010 | +37.5% |
Chile | 2014 | 200,000 | 2013 | 300,000 | 2015 | +50% |
Poland | 2019 | 150,000 | 2018 | 230,000 | 2021 | +53% |
Greece | 2010 | 160,000 | 2009 | 250,000 | 2012 | +56.25% |
Yet Cyprus isn’t the only contender in the game. Neighbors in Europe—Bulgaria and Romania—are also angling for a place. Competition is fierce, with Bucharest currently claiming pole position. According to the Romanian ambassador to the US, Bucharest expects to join the VWP in March or April 2025. That timetable has sent ripples of concern through Nicosia, where officials fear Romania may beat Cyprus to the punch.
Making matters more complicated is Cyprus’s unsettled geopolitical reality. The island remains divided, with a third of its territory outside the effective control of the recognized government. Washington’s skepticism about border security in such a scenario is an additional obstacle Cyprus must overcome.
Spécialiste de la veille réglementaire et experte en contenus destinations, elle analyse quotidiennement l’évolution des formalités d’entrée pour traduire la complexité administrative en guides pratiques. Son rôle combine expertise terrain et précision technique afin de garantir la fiabilité des informations délivrées aux voyageurs.
