A team of experts from the US will visit Cyprus this week as part of ongoing efforts to include residents of the island in the Visa Waver Program (VWP), the American embassy said.

“The team will review security processes and operations as part of an ongoing evaluation of the stringent security requirements necessary for the Republic of Cyprus to enter into the United States Visa Waiver Program (VWP),” it said.

The government is “very close to having announcements to make” regarding Cyprus’ joining of the United States’ visa waiver programme, President Nikos Christodoulides said in October.

“The interagency team’s visit to Cyprus is a step in the US government’s established process for evaluating whether the Republic of Cyprus meets the requirements for VWP designation,” the embassy added.

The VWP is a security partnership that makes America safer, stronger, and more prosperous by facilitating lawful travel to the United States, the embassy added.

Participation in the programme provides tangible benefits to enhance economic and commercial ties and helps make international travel safer for all, it added.

The VWP enables eligible citizens to travel to the United States for tourism or business for 90 days or less, without obtaining a visa.

Should Cyprus secure visa-free travel to the US for its citizens, it will join a total of 42 countries, of which 24 are European Union member states, which currently have access to the US’ Visa Waiver Programme (VWP).

It is open to countries that have very low non-immigrant visa refusal rates; issue secure travel documents; work closely with US law enforcement, national security, and immigration authorities; and meet all other programme requirements.