News, 13 October 2026
Cyprus no longer expects to join the Schengen area this year. Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection Nicholas Ioannides told CyBC radio on 10 October 2026 that Cyprus expects to join in full during 2027, per the Cyprus Mail. President Nikos Christodoulides had said in May 2025 that Cyprus would join in 2026, per IMI Daily.
Ioannides said the government expects to finish six outstanding actions by early November and will then tell the European Commission that Cyprus is technically ready. The decision lies with the Council, where all current Schengen members must agree. Member states discussed the request in a Council working party on 15 September, but it was not on the agenda of the early-October home affairs meeting and no vote date has been given, per IMI Daily.
The main sticking point is the Green Line. Per the Cyprus Mail, Cyprus has told the Commission it will not apply the EU’s Entry/Exit System at the nine crossing points to the north, because it does not recognise the line as a border. IMI Daily reports that the Commission wants the crossing procedure written into EU law, and that compromise ideas include checks at Cypriot ports and airports before departure.
The delay also moves the timetable for the golden visa changes Ioannides has tied to Schengen entry. He told MPs on 24 September that membership will make the investor programme more attractive and that he has sent tightening proposals to other ministers, while officials review about 12,000 permits issued since 2013. The current permanent residence route still asks for at least €300,000. No draft law has been published.
What it means for you: until Cyprus is in, a Cypriot residence permit does not let you travel in the rest of Schengen under the 90/180 rule, and days spent in Cyprus don’t count towards your Schengen allowance. If Schengen access was part of your reason for buying into the Cyprus permanent residence route, that benefit is now at least a year away, and the entry terms may tighten before it arrives. If you already hold a permit, keep your annual proof of investment and income in order for the review.
Full guide: Cyprus to tighten its golden visa and review 12,000 permits · Schengen 90/180 rule (2026): how to count days, EES and ETIAS · Golden visa countries (2026): which are open, closed and the cost
Sources
- Cyprus Mail: Cyprus to be fully integrated into Schengen area by next year
- IMI Daily: Cyprus now expects to join Schengen in 2027, a year later than planned
- Cyprus Mail: Cyprus to tighten golden visa scheme ahead of Schengen entry
This is general information from the Nomad Forums team, not immigration, tax or legal advice. Rules change; check the official source or a qualified adviser before applying.
Over to you: If you hold a Cypriot permanent residence permit, was Schengen access part of the decision, and does a 2027 date change your plans? Has anyone crossed the Green Line recently and noticed any new checks?