Two senior officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security—Under-Secretary for Strategy, Policy & Plans Rob Law and Deputy Assistant Secretary John Gountanis—concluded a two-day stop in Cyprus on 14 July as part of a regional tour. During meetings with Deputy Minister to the President Irini Piki, Foreign-Ministry and Police leaders, the delegation reviewed progress on counter-terrorism cooperation, cyber-threat intelligence and irregular-migration trends. The visit made headlines because the U.S. side again described Cyprus’ accession to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) as “within reach once final internal reviews are complete.” Cyprus has already met the core statistical benchmark—an annual non-immigrant visa refusal rate below 3 percent—thanks to a targeted public-information campaign and upgraded passport security features. Beyond the VWP, discussions focused on how Cyprus can leverage its geostrategic location atEurope’s south-eastern flank. DHS promised technical assistance for next-generation Passenger Name Record (PNR) analytics that will allow Cypriot authorities to screen inbound air passengers in near real time. U.S. officials also toured Larnaca International Airport’s BorderXpress automated-gate area, praising the island’s early adoption of facial-recognition ‘e-gates’. A memorandum of understanding is expected later this year covering joint exercises and exchange placements for Cypriot immigration officers at U.S. ports of entry. For corporate mobility managers, a positive VWP decision would eliminate the need for Cypriot passport-holders to obtain B-1/B-2 visas for short business trips—saving both time and legal costs. The roll-out of advanced PNR screening should likewise reduce the risk of last-minute secondary inspections that can derail tight travel schedules.
Source: Knews (Kathimerini Cyprus)
