Nicosia: Deputy Minister to the President, Irene Piki, on Wednesday hailed the announcement by the US Department of State that the US visa refusal rate for Cypriot citizens for 2024 has fallen to 2.16%. Piki described this development as another ‘critical step’ toward Cyprus’ inclusion in the US Visa Waiver Program.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Piki emphasized in a post on ‘X’ that meeting the ‘key prerequisite’ of reducing the visa refusal rate below 3% is essential for Cyprus to join the US Visa Waiver Program. The current 2.16% rate indicates significant progress made by the Cypriot government, particularly over the past year, in negotiations with the United States.
Piki highlighted that the latest figures mark substantial achievement in the technical consultations between the Republic of Cyprus and the US. She reiterated the government’s commitment to achieving Cyprus’ inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program by 2025, enabling Cypriot citizens to travel to the US for tourism and business without needing
a visa.
US Ambassador to Cyprus, Julie Fisher, also commented on the milestone, noting that Cyprus’ visa refusal rate of 2.16% is a significant step closer to enabling visa-free travel for Cypriots to the US.