Biometrics are now required to obtain a visa to Cyprus

Starting October 6, 2025, Russian citizens will be required to provide biometric data to obtain a Cyprus visa.

This new requirement, announced by the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Moscow, requires the applicant to be present in person when submitting documents. Children under 12 are exempt from submitting fingerprints. Therefore, remote submission of documents through tour operators and travel agents is no longer possible.

The updated visa procedures have already come into effect at all Cypriot consulates in the Russian Federation – in St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, and Yekaterinburg.

The introduction of mandatory biometric data requirements for obtaining a Cyprus visa is related to the launch of the EU's EES system in October and Cyprus's accession to the Schengen Areа.

Photo by Natalia Klimenok