The Embassy of Cyprus in Moscow has halted visa submissions at private provider BLS International, instructing Russian travellers to apply directly at Cypriot consulates in Moscow, St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Krasnodar from 15 June. Diplomats said the outsourcing contract had expired but added that “a new agreement with an external service provider is expected soon”.
![Cyprus shifts Russian visa processing from outsourcing centres back to consulates]()
For anyone navigating these sudden changes, VisaHQ can simplify the process by supplying real-time updates, document-check services and step-by-step guidance for Cyprus visas—visit https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/ for details and support.
Until then, applicants must present originals and copies of documents in person no later than 15 days before travel—effectively lengthening lead-times for tour operators and MICE organisers targeting the eastern Mediterranean. The move comes against the backdrop of broader EU restrictions on Russian tourists: multi-entry Schengen visas for Russian nationals were curtailed last November, and several Member States are lobbying for outright bans. Cyprus, heavily dependent on leisure travel, has attempted to balance EU solidarity with safeguarding its tourism sector, which before 2022 counted nearly 800,000 annual Russian arrivals. Corporate mobility teams should update invitation-letter procedures and warn staff of possible appointment bottlenecks, especially ahead of the July-August peak season. Travellers who lodged applications at BLS before 11 June can still collect passports at those centres, but all new filings must go through the consulates.
For anyone navigating these sudden changes, VisaHQ can simplify the process by supplying real-time updates, document-check services and step-by-step guidance for Cyprus visas—visit https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/ for details and support.
Until then, applicants must present originals and copies of documents in person no later than 15 days before travel—effectively lengthening lead-times for tour operators and MICE organisers targeting the eastern Mediterranean. The move comes against the backdrop of broader EU restrictions on Russian tourists: multi-entry Schengen visas for Russian nationals were curtailed last November, and several Member States are lobbying for outright bans. Cyprus, heavily dependent on leisure travel, has attempted to balance EU solidarity with safeguarding its tourism sector, which before 2022 counted nearly 800,000 annual Russian arrivals. Corporate mobility teams should update invitation-letter procedures and warn staff of possible appointment bottlenecks, especially ahead of the July-August peak season. Travellers who lodged applications at BLS before 11 June can still collect passports at those centres, but all new filings must go through the consulates.
