Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in Cyprus, you are subject to its laws. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own. Persons violating Cypriot laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. If you break local laws in Cyprus, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. You can be prosecuted in the United States for engaging in sexual conduct with children or for using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country regardless of the legality of these activities under that country’s laws. Counterfeit and pirated goods are illegal in the United States, and if you purchase them in a foreign country, you may be breaking local law as well.

Arrest notifications in host country: While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in that country, others may not. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: We are not aware of any special currency or customs circumstances for the Republic of Cyprus.

Since 1974, the Republic of Cyprus has designated Larnaca and Paphos international airports, and the seaports of Limassol, Larnaca, and Paphos, as the only legal points of entry into and exit from Cyprus; these ports are all in the government-controlled southern part of the island. Entry or exit via any other air or seaport is considered an illegal act by the Republic of Cyprus. Since 2004, when the Republic of Cyprus implemented new EU-related crossing regulations, U.S. citizens (and citizens of other non-EU countries not requiring visas) have been able to cross the checkpoints in both directions regardless of their port of entry into Cyprus.

Cypriot officials at the buffer zone checkpoints or at airports and seaports in the government-controlled areas may detain and prosecute U.S. citizens who have been present for more than 90 days in the areas that are not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus if they do not possess a residency permit issued by the Republic of Cyprus.

For visits of less than 90 days, U.S. citizens may enter the Turkish Cypriot-administered area by displaying a valid U.S. passport. Stays for 90 days or longer require a “temporary residency visa” issued by Turkish Cypriot authorities. Turkish Cypriots have deported foreigners who violate this “law.” Turkish Cypriots emphasize that the requirement to obtain a “temporary residency visa” within 90 days of arriving in the Turkish Cypriot-administered area cannot be avoided by periodically visiting the southern part of the island controlled by the Republic of Cyprus.

Policy and procedures regarding travel across the buffer zone are subject to change. More information on current procedures may be obtained at the U.N. buffer zone Ledra Palace checkpoint at tel. 357 22 451 944 in Nicosia.

WOMEN TRAVELER INFORMATION: If you are a woman traveling abroad, please review our information and travel tips for Women Travelers.

LGBT RIGHTS: According to Section 6 of the Department of State’s Annual Human Rights Report, antidiscrimination laws in the Republic of Cyprus cover employment, social protection, social insurance, social benefits, healthcare, education, participation in unions and professional organizations, and access to goods and services. Despite legal protections, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals face societal discrimination and few are open about their sexual orientation or gender identity.

There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBT events in the Republic of Cyprus or in the area administered by the Turkish Cypriots. Public attitudes tend to be socially conservative in Cyprus, but there have been no reports of violence against LGBT travelers. For more detailed information about LGBT rights in Cyprus, you may review the State Department’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014. For further information on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) travel, please read our LGBT Travel Information page.

ACCESSIBILITY: While in Cyprus, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from in the United States. The People with Disabilities Law mandates that public buildings and tourist facilities built after 1999 be accessible to all. However, older buildings frequently lack access for persons with disabilities. Narrow or nonexistent sidewalks and lack of transport, parking spaces, accessible toilets, and elevators all pose problems for persons with disabilities. Cypriot law prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in employment, education, access to health care, or in the provision of other state services, and in practice the government generally enforces the provisions. For information on accessible travel in Cyprus, visit "Accessible Cyprus: Information for Visitors with Special Access Needs."