I heard from a usually reliable source that Cyprus (the EU bit) are now turning away RSOs.

Can't find anything online about it, just wondering if anyone had more info ?

I suppose the obvious question is how would they find out? Unless they have access to the PNC, they will not know about your conviction or being on the SOR.

Well, I also understand (this from a slightly less reliable source) that the pre-Brexit cooperation is gradually coming back, so for example there is now limited data exchange between SIS (Schengen Information System) and the UK's own systems.  So "discreet alerts" will likely become more common at Schengen borders...

can you share this source,please?

Sadly not, it's 2 private individuals whom I know personally and who are not employed in any official capacity but do have their fingers on the pulse of border issues...)

There is no indication in the College of policing guidance to say that UK police have access to the Shengen database again.

I'm due to have a beer with one of them over the weekend so I'll see if I can get any more info !

We are not aware of any changes to information sharing agreements between UK law enforcement agencies and we have not heard of any issues for people travelling to/from Cyprus specifically.

We are also not aware of any policy of police forces to make routine interpol notifications to Cyprus, which might account for this. As per our usual advice, anybody subject to Notification Requirements will almost certainly be issued with an Interpol notice if they travel to any Section 172 countries. Cyprus is of course not a Section 172 country. Outside of this, unless the individual is suspected to be travelling with the intention of committing sexual offences, or the individual is managed at higher levels (Level 2 or 3) of MAPPA, Interpol notices (or flags, as some refer to them) would not be issued and travel should be relatively hassle-free.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All views, opinions & contributions are my own and do not represent the views of Unlock unless specifically stated.

I have first hand experience of this. Due to travel March 2025 and I turned up and was taken into a room with multiple border control agents shouting loudly in their own language with each other.

It took a while for them to effectively say ‘we don’t allow sex offenders into Cyprus’ and I was then put in a room with a bench for several hours until I was put on a flight home.

They didn’t tell me what they knew or what paperwork they had. Fairly sure I saw a picture of myself (likely police paperwork from UK).

The police were aware of my travel. When I got back I contacted my offender manager who had confirmed they had not put any notices on my passport and had no issue with me travelling. He asked around and in the several years’ experience in his office he had never had someone turned away from Cyprus. Seems I was the first.

I’m now 5 years into my 10 year order and terrified to go abroad again. Even to Europe especially when the ETIAS is introduced.

Be careful with Cyprus if you’re currently on the register. I don’t think they have a set procedure - at times it felt like it could’ve gone either way.

Since you are at the 5 year mark of your order, ( I am assuing it is a SHPO?)
Have you considered applying to have the order discharged?

I do not travel so I do not know fully if a discharged SHPO would help prevent instances such as this. But something worth looking into if you ever felt the need