During celebrations for the Feast of St Paraskevi in Melbourne on 27 July, Cyprus’ Deputy Minister for Migration and International Protection Dr Nicholas Ioannides outlined a series of consular reforms aimed at the 80,000-strong Cypriot community in Australia. Speaking alongside High Commissioner Antonis Sammoutis, the minister said the Nicosia government would introduce remote video-interviewing for citizenship and ‘overseas birth’ registrations beginning in October. Applicants will be able to submit notarised documents via a dedicated portal and book a secure interview slot outside Canberra’s working hours, eliminating the need for costly interstate travel. A new courier partnership with DHL will enable passport delivery within five business days once biometrics are captured at pop-up missions planned for Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Ioannides also confirmed that the cap on the Cyprus Digital Nomad Visa – currently 500 permits – will be reviewed at the Cabinet meeting in September, hinting at “a substantial increase” to meet demand from Australian tech freelancers. In 2025 Australians accounted for 17 % of Digital Nomad Visa holders, the largest single nationality. Community leaders welcomed the moves but urged the minister to address pension portability and recognition of Australian professional licences. The minister responded that bilateral social-security talks with Canberra were “at an advanced stage” and that a mutual-recognition agreement for engineers could be signed by early 2027.
Source: Neos Kosmos
