The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is valid for nationals of EU and EFTA countries. The EHIC regulates care and reimbursement of costs in the event of illness for EU and EFTA citizens. The EHIC does not include repatriation after a serious illness or an accident abroad. Statutory health insurance companies are not allowed to offer this service. Only private travel insurance companies pay for return transport. It is therefore recommended that you take out health insurance abroad for the duration of your stay, which covers risks that are not covered by statutory health insurance companies. In the event of illness, EHIC holders contact a state medical facility. Medical facilities are good. The emergency number is 199 (in all cities). Check indexdotcom for more information.
Notes vaccinations
Malaria: At the end of August 2017, cases of malaria were registered again for the first time since the 1960s. Malaria tertiana (Plasmodium vivax) occurs in northern Cyprus (Esentepe, Kyrenia). Mosquito repellent is recommended.
Food and drink
Tap water is usually chlorinated and relatively clean, but you may experience mild stomach upset during acclimatization. Bottled water is therefore recommended for the first few days of your stay. Meat should be well cooked before consumption.
Other risks
The standard vaccinations for children and adults recommended by the Robert Koch Institute (including against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), mumps, measles, rubella, pneumococci, poliomyelitis and influenza) should be refreshed before the trip if necessary. Hepatitis A and hepatitis B occur nationwide. A hepatitis A vaccination is generally recommended. Vaccination against hepatitis B should be given during longer stays and close contact with the local population, as well as for children and young people in general. Leishmaniasis, transmitted by butterfly gnats, is found nationwide and can be avoided with insect repellent. Temperatures (up to 45 degrees Celsius) and solar radiation can be very high, especially in summer. Attention should be paid to adequate sun protection and the amount of drinking water. The viral disease West Nile fever is transmitted by infected mosquitoes, especially in late summer and autumn. Effective mosquito repellent is recommended.
Health certificate
Foreigners wishing to work or study in Cyprus must undergo an HIV test upon arrival. Certificates you bring with you will not be accepted. If the result is positive, you can be expelled. In North Cyprus, all long-stay visa applicants are required to have an HIV test in the country, which can be repeated every six months for those at risk. In Cyprus and all other EU countries, proof of the COVID vaccination status with the paper vaccination card is valid in addition to the digital COVID-19 vaccination card (EU Digital COVID Certificate). Cyprus accepts Swiss COVID certificate.
Money
Currency
1 euro = 100 cents. Currency code: €, EUR (ISO code). Banknotes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, coins in denominations of 1 and 2 euros and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents.
Credit cards
American Express, Mastercard, Diners Club, ec-/Maestro, Visa Electron and Visa are usually accepted by hotels, larger shops, restaurants etc.
ATMs
Girocard With the Girocard (formerly EC card) such as the Maestro card, V Pay or Sparcard and PIN number, cash can be withdrawn from ATMs in the national currency throughout Europe. In many European countries it is also possible to pay with a debit card in shops. Cards with the Cirrus, V-Pay or Maestro symbol are accepted throughout Europe. Further information from banks and credit institutes. The same applies to the German savings card. Cash can be withdrawn from European ATMs with the Plus logo using a savings card and pin number. More details from all Postbank branches. Attention: Travelers who want to pay with their bank customer card abroad and withdraw money, should find out from their bank about the possibility of using their card before they travel. There are no restrictions on cash withdrawals from ATMs in Cyprus.
Travelers cheques
Traveller’s checks are no longer available in Germany and Switzerland and are hardly available in Austria. Travelers checks can be cashed at some banks and bureaux de change in Cyprus in the major cities. However, some of these do not accept travelers checks made out in Euros or US Dollars.
Bank opening hours
General: Mon-Fri 08.00-12.30 and in tourist areas also 15.00/16.00-16.30/18.00, longer opening times possible during the summer months. Banks at Larnaca and Pafos International Airports provide services throughout the day and night for many flights. Banking services are also available in the port of Lemesos (Limassol).
Foreign exchange regulations
For travelers within and from outside the EU, there are no restrictions on the import or export of national and foreign currencies, but there is an obligation to declare funds from an equivalent value of €10,000 (in addition to cash, cash also includes travelers cheques, savings accounts, other currencies, to third parties checks drawn, the true value of precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum (gold coins containing at least 90 percent gold grade, uncoined gold in the form of bars, nuggets or nuggets containing at least 99.5 percent gold grade), precious stones (but not jewelry). )).
Currency Exchange
Money can be exchanged in banks and at numerous ATMs in the central squares of all cities and the tourist resorts of Agia Napa and Paralimni. Most currencies and values are accepted.
