On 12 October the European Union initiated its long-awaited biometric Entry/Exit System (EES), replacing passport stamps with facial and fingerprint scans for all non-EU citizens entering the Schengen zone. While Cyprus is not yet a full Schengen member, the Deputy Ministry of Migration confirmed that travellers transiting through Larnaca or Paphos en route to Schengen states will be subject to the new procedures at their first Schengen touch-point.
Under the phased roll-out, airlines operating from Cyprus must transmit Advance Passenger Information (API) to allow border forces to pre-create digital ‘travel files’. Carriers have warned employers to ensure that third-country nationals hold machine-readable passports with at least two blank pages; otherwise, boarding may be denied.
For global-mobility managers, the EES introduces stricter overstay detection. Days spent in member states will now be calculated to the minute, limiting the scope for ‘informal commutes’ by remote workers who spend time shuttling between Cyprus and nearby EU capitals such as Athens. Companies relying on the 90/180-day visa-free regime must therefore implement automated tracking tools to avoid inadvertent breaches.
Cyprus itself plans to integrate EES hardware into its airports ahead of anticipated Schengen accession in 2026. Hermes Airports has already issued a tender for 50 self-service kiosks and 20 eGates, with installation slated for mid-2026. Once operational, the kiosks will allow foreign assignees to complete EU-level biometric enrolment before onward connections, streamlining journeys to core markets.
Under the phased roll-out, airlines operating from Cyprus must transmit Advance Passenger Information (API) to allow border forces to pre-create digital ‘travel files’. Carriers have warned employers to ensure that third-country nationals hold machine-readable passports with at least two blank pages; otherwise, boarding may be denied.
For global-mobility managers, the EES introduces stricter overstay detection. Days spent in member states will now be calculated to the minute, limiting the scope for ‘informal commutes’ by remote workers who spend time shuttling between Cyprus and nearby EU capitals such as Athens. Companies relying on the 90/180-day visa-free regime must therefore implement automated tracking tools to avoid inadvertent breaches.
Cyprus itself plans to integrate EES hardware into its airports ahead of anticipated Schengen accession in 2026. Hermes Airports has already issued a tender for 50 self-service kiosks and 20 eGates, with installation slated for mid-2026. Once operational, the kiosks will allow foreign assignees to complete EU-level biometric enrolment before onward connections, streamlining journeys to core markets.
