Parliament on Thursday evening ratified an interstate agreement between Cyprus and the United States on the sharing of travelers’ information, as a prelude and precondition for the island joining the US visa waiver programme.
The two governments had signed the agreement in Washington DC on June 17. Being an interstate agreement, it needed to be ratified by the House.
The motion passed with a plurality of votes (22), while the nine Akel MPs present abstained.
Under the information-sharing agreement, the US government will grant to Cyprus for free the software used to gather and analyse passenger data.
If all milestones in the agreement are adhered to, Cyprus could join the VWP by early 2025.
In his remarks on the House floor, Akel MP Giorgos Koukoumas said his party does not object to Cyprus joining the VWP, but has concerns about the gathering, storage and processing of passengers’ personal data.
Another issue, Kokoumas said, is that Cyprus and the United States have different legal definitions for terrorism.
Disy’s Harris Georgiades said the VWP is an important step on the path to boosting relations with the United States.
Prospective visa-free entry to the United States for Cypriot nationals is part of the ‘strategic dialogue’ initiated between the two governments in June.
The visa waiver does not remove the visa category for the traveler, but it does eliminate the need for applying at a US embassy or having a face-to-face interview with a US consular officer prior to the trip.
