Following the drone strike on RAF Akrotiri and widespread flight cancellations, President Nikos Christodoulides chaired an extraordinary session of Cyprus’ National Security Council (NSC) on the evening of 1 March 2026. Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis told reporters that the Republic remains “a steady pillar of security and humanitarian contribution” and is in continuous contact with EU institutions and regional capitals to coordinate crisis measures. Top of the NSC agenda was safeguarding international mobility flows—both humanitarian corridors and commercial traffic—that funnel through the island. Officials reviewed contingency plans for air-space management, potential activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for mass evacuations, and protocols for rapid visa issuance should Cyprus become a staging ground for third-country nationals leaving the conflict zone.
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Amid these evolving requirements, VisaHQ stands ready to help travelers and corporations alike: through its Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) the company can fast-track emergency visas, facilitate document authentication, and offer real-time advisories that align with the government’s protocols, ensuring passengers and employers remain compliant as the situation unfolds.
Letymbiotis disclosed that over the preceding 48 hours the president had spoken with leaders from the European Commission, the UK, France, Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar and the UAE. Diplomatic sources said discussions covered temporary overflight exemptions for medical-evacuation flights and mutual recognition of emergency travel documents for stranded expatriates. The meeting also approved a directive to Cyprus’ embassies in the region to compile real-time registers of Cypriot nationals and legal residents seeking repatriation—a prerequisite for chartering government-funded rescue flights. Consular teams in Abu Dhabi and Doha have set up 24/7 hotlines and are working with low-cost carrier TUS Airways to secure aircraft capacity. For employers, the NSC’s decisions translate into clearer channels for staff assistance: priority boarding lists for essential personnel, streamlined visa-on-arrival for dependent family members, and a single governmental point of contact for corporate relocations. Mobility advisers welcomed the coordination but cautioned that execution will hinge on swift inter-ministry data-sharing and timely communication to the private sector.
Amid these evolving requirements, VisaHQ stands ready to help travelers and corporations alike: through its Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) the company can fast-track emergency visas, facilitate document authentication, and offer real-time advisories that align with the government’s protocols, ensuring passengers and employers remain compliant as the situation unfolds.
Letymbiotis disclosed that over the preceding 48 hours the president had spoken with leaders from the European Commission, the UK, France, Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar and the UAE. Diplomatic sources said discussions covered temporary overflight exemptions for medical-evacuation flights and mutual recognition of emergency travel documents for stranded expatriates. The meeting also approved a directive to Cyprus’ embassies in the region to compile real-time registers of Cypriot nationals and legal residents seeking repatriation—a prerequisite for chartering government-funded rescue flights. Consular teams in Abu Dhabi and Doha have set up 24/7 hotlines and are working with low-cost carrier TUS Airways to secure aircraft capacity. For employers, the NSC’s decisions translate into clearer channels for staff assistance: priority boarding lists for essential personnel, streamlined visa-on-arrival for dependent family members, and a single governmental point of contact for corporate relocations. Mobility advisers welcomed the coordination but cautioned that execution will hinge on swift inter-ministry data-sharing and timely communication to the private sector.
