Cyprus Mail 18 January 2026 - by Van Dongen online
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| • Credits: DepositPhotos |
The relationship between Cyprus and Schengen has been debated for years, yet it remains widely misunderstood. While Cyprus is a member of the European Union, it is not part of the Schengen zone — a distinction that has practical, political and legal consequences for the island. Often referred to as the Cyprus Schengen debate, the issue continues to shape political and public discussion on the island.
This article outlines what Schengen is, Cyprus’ current status, and what joining the zone would mean in practice.
What is the Schengen zone?
The Schengen Area is a group of European countries that have abolished routine passport and border controls between one another. Travellers can move freely within the zone without undergoing immigration checks at internal borders.
Most EU countries are members of Schengen, but participation is not automatic. Some non-EU states, such as Switzerland and Norway, are members, while a small number of EU states remain outside the zone.
Is Cyprus part of Schengen?
No. Cyprus is an EU member state but not part of the Schengen zone. Cyprus is currently one of the few EU member states outside the Schengen zone. This means travellers flying from Cyprus to most European destinations must still pass through passport control, even when travelling within the EU.
Cyprus’ non-participation is largely linked to the island’s unresolved political situation and the existence of the Green Line separating the government-controlled areas from the north.
Why is Cyprus not in Schengen?
Unlike most EU states, Cyprus does not exercise full control over its entire territory. Joining Schengen would require the establishment of a clearly defined external border of the Schengen zone — a sensitive issue given the division of the island.
There are also security, migration and administrative requirements tied to Schengen membership, including data-sharing systems, border surveillance standards and asylum procedures that Cyprus would need to fully implement.
Could Cyprus join Schengen in the future?
The Cypriot government has repeatedly stated its intention to pursue Schengen membership. President Nikos Christodoulides has publicly set a target for Cyprus to meet the technical and legal criteria required to join the zone. Whether this is achievable depends on a range of factors, including political developments, migration pressures and Cyprus’ ability to align with Schengen security frameworks.
What would change if Cyprus joined Schengen?
If Cyprus were to join Schengen, routine passport controls for travel to other Schengen countries would be lifted. This would make travel easier for residents and visitors alike and align Cyprus more closely with the majority of EU member states.
At the same time, Schengen membership would place greater responsibility on Cyprus as an external EU border state, with stricter obligations around border management, migration control and security cooperation.
Why the Cyprus Schengen debate remains sensitive
The discussion around Cyprus and Schengen goes beyond travel convenience. It touches on the island’s division, relations between communities, migration policy and Cyprus’ role within the European Union. As a result, Schengen membership is widely seen not as a purely technical step, but as a decision with long-term political and social implications. For a deeper analysis of why this issue remains controversial, read Cyprus Mail’s opinion on the risks and consequences of Schengen membership for Cyprus - see below
CYPRUS & THE SCHENGEN ZONE - Cy Mail 8 June 2025 - by Loukis Skaliotis
The latest Cyprus mistake that could cost us dear
Many of us here in Cyprus are often annoyed at the inconvenience we face when travelling from Larnaca to somewhere in Europe. Apart from the limited direct flights to European destinations, forcing a lot of people to choose to fly through Athens, where we suffer the indignity of having to switch from Gate A to Gate B at Eleftherios Venizelos international airport. This requires going through passport control to the check in area and then back in again through security control (mercifully enabling us perhaps a stop for an obligatory bougatsa, if time allows).
The reason why we go through the Gate A to Gate B route, for those who have not looked at it already, is that Cyprus is not a member of the Schengen zone. The Schengen zone agreement has seen many European countries come together into an area where their citizens do not have to go through passport control or visa formalities when travelling from one of the countries to another. Although the area is predominantly an EU country area, there are Schengen member countries which are not part of the EU, such as Switzerland and Norway, in addition to EU countries that are not members – Cyprus and Ireland.
Cyprus may not be outside the Schengen zone for much longer. President Nikos Christodoulides has set sail for joining the Schengen zone with a target of being part of the group by the end of 2026. Apart from avoiding the hassle described above, some people argue that this is a positive development as it will impose strict regulations on the flow of traffic between the occupied north and the government-controlled south. Unfortunately, that is a short-sighted view and is a move that could prove a colossal mistake for Cyprus.
The reasons are twofold.
The first has to do with our national problem. Cyprus, as we all know, is not a normal country. Quite apart from being the centre of the world, it is a country divided in two and which, allegedly, is trying to get back together. Becoming part of the Schengen zone will automatically mean that a hard border needs to be put up between the Turkish occupied north and the government-controlled areas in the south. Our repeated arguments that there are no borders along the ceasefire line will be undermined by our own actions. Our chest beating positions that we do not accept stamps on our passports when we cross to the north will necessitate just that. Ireland (the only other country in the EU that is not a member of the Schengen zone) was faced with the same dilemma when its citizens crossed from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland and vice-versa. It decided it would rather not impose these restrictions to free travel so opted out of the Schengen zone.
Cyprus, it seems, knows better and can ignore these concerns. The application to join the Schengen zone was initiated by then Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides in 2019.
Doubling down on his pet project, he has pushed on, ignoring the above concerns but also seemingly unaware of the dangers the move will create on another big topic that has since engulfed Cyprus. That is the immigration issue. The emphasis the current government has put to rectify the absurdly long waiting periods to process an asylum application has been the right approach in improving the outflow of non-eligible immigrants. This has effectively given the sign that Cyprus is not an “easy” destination for those willing to ‘play the system’ and risk their chances even if they know they are not eligible for asylum.
Cyprus entering the Schengen zone will do exactly the opposite. This will give added incentives for immigrants to choose Cyprus as the point of first entry to Europe as this will give them access to no passport control when travelling elsewhere in the bloc.
I have been puzzled as to why the government cannot see the obvious dangers from such a move and is pressing ahead regardless. I have long entertained the view that decisions are sometimes taken based on opinions formed in the past and one keeps pursuing them, choosing to ignore any new developments that call for the decision to be reevaluated. One such example is Trump’s pursuit of his misguided tariff policy. (Come on readers, there was no way I could refrain from mentioning him at least once!) Formed during the 1980s, when Japan was then running large trading export surpluses with the USA, President Donald Trump has stuck with the same (bad) idea until he got the chance to implement it, ignoring expert advice and instead choosing people willing to follow his agenda. Similarly, Christodoulides seems to follow the same pattern and people around him seem either incapable or unwilling of challenging the boss’ pet project.
There is, of course, another more sinister reason behind the push for Schengen. That is the interests of the land development sector (which has long lobbied for applying for Schengen membership), which sees that if Cyprus is a member of the Schengen zone it would be seen as equal to other European countries by residents seeking to buy holiday homes. Thus, becoming a resident in Cyprus would automatically give them travel access to Schengen member countries free of hassle.
No matter what the real reason is, the fact of the matter is that for Cyprus the risks far outweigh the potential benefits. Partition of our homeland is not something that will happen from one day to the next. Rather, it seeps in gradually and sometimes imperceptibly. It is Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar’s stated goal. We should not give him added ammunition. We should all remember this when complaining about moving from Gate A to Gate B while waiting in line for that bougatsa.
Cyprus and the Schengen zone
Cyprus is currently one of the few European Union member states that is not part of the Schengen Area. While EU membership allows freedom of movement for citizens, Schengen membership removes routine passport controls between participating countries. Successive Cypriot governments have expressed interest in joining Schengen, arguing it would ease travel and strengthen European integration. Critics, however, point to unresolved political, security and migration-related challenges that make Cyprus Schengen membership uniquely complex.
