A third-country national who holds a degree of higher education or is pursuing a course of study in a third country that leads to a higher education degree and who is admitted to Cyprus for a training programme for the purpose of gaining knowledge, practice and experience in a professional environment, may enter Cyprus with an entry permit issued by the Civil Registry and Migration Department, provided that an application is submitted by the organization.

The third-country national must have obtained a higher education degree within the two years preceding the date of application or is pursuing a course of study that leads to a higher education degree at the time of the submission of the application.

The traineeship must be in the same field and at the same qualification level as the higher education degree or the course of study referred above.

The application shall be submitted and examined either when the third-country national concerned is residing outside the territory of Cyprus or when the third-country national is already residing as holder of a valid residence permit. The application cannot be submitted when the third country national is already in Cyprus as a holder of a tourist/visiting visa.

In case there is a valid residence permit, re-entry into Cyprus can be achieved upon presentation of the permit and a valid passport, provided that the person concerned has not remained outside the Republic for more than three months.

In case an application has been submitted for a residence permit that has not yet been examined, then re-entry to the Republic can be obtained with the payment receipt provided after the submission of the application fees, which bears a stamp allowing re-entry into Cyprus. This receipt has to be presented along with the valid passport on the return trip.