The BMVI is one of the two financial instruments of the Integrated Border Management Fund and a continuation of the financial instrument “Internal Security Fund - Borders and Visas” of the Programming Period 2014-2020. The General Objective of the Fund’s policy is to ensure a powerful and effective European integrated management of the external borders, contributing this to a high level of internal security within the Union. Moreover, it ensures the free movement of persons within the Union, fully respecting the relevant acquis and international obligations of the Union and its Member States, which arise from international acts in which the Member States are contractual parties.

The Fund pursues the following specific objectives:

1. Borders
Τhe general objective of Cyprus as defined in the Cyprus IBM Strategy (August 2020) is to ensure a high level of control and protection of external borders and facilitate smoother border crossings. Cyprus Strategy is under constant monitoring in order to be fully harmonised with EU priorities incl. recommendations from border management related reports (Frontex Vulnerability Assessment, Schengen evaluations, Country Specific Recommendations) and any national policy developments.

a. EU Acquis
• The RoC based on the Accession Act in 2003 is committed to fully applying the Schengen acquis. The preparation for its full accession into the Schengen Area is still in process and there are still needs to be covered. The Programme will be used to accommodate any Schengen Evaluation with financial implications that may be issued to CY.
b. Cyprus's Aims
Based on the strategic priorities, Schengen evaluations and Vulnerability Assessments, actions implemented in PP 2014-2020, Cyprus aims to achieve the following:
• Improve border control through:

i. Effective communication with other MS, staff training, replacing/ upgrading existing infrastructure and installing new technologies.
ii. Improving capabilities for prevention and early detection of migrant flows and unauthorised border crossings and illegal migration by upgrading the available specialised equipment and infrastructure and ensuring adequate technical support.
iii. Improving and support first reception infrastructure and capacity in line with the Union’s commitments on fundamental rights in order to effectively manage migration flows.

• Develop the national components (staff, training, equipment, IT systems) of the European Border and Coast Guard (FRONTEX).
• Effectively address recommendations from the Schengen Evaluations and Vulnerability Assessments in order to conform with the EU acquis (IBM strategy, human resources, trainings, border checks/ procedures/ surveillance).
• Support the development of large-scale IT tools based on EU acquis/ legislation which need to be operational once Cyprus becomes a Schengen member.
• Enhance SAR operations and capabilities through trainings, upgrade/ replacement of equipment/ IT tools, cooperation with other MS/ third countries.

2. Visas
The harmonisation of visa policy with the EU acquis is a priority for Cyprus. The main objective is to improve the quality and effectiveness of its consular capabilities as well as sustain a level of effective visa processing and establish its consular presence, where necessary, to conform with the Schengen requirements in short-stay visa issuing procedures.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for consulates and visas, has already applied a significant part of the Schengen acquis in terms of the common visa policy. However, much remain to be done in order for Cyprus to comply with Schengen requirements, facilitate legitimate travel and prevent migratory and security risks.

a. EU Αcquis
• The Programme will be used to accommodate any Schengen Evaluation with financial implications that may be issued to CY.
b. BMVI Contribution
• Support the Visa policy and procedures through the improvement of infrastructures, IT tools, security, staff, trainings in order to facilitate legitimate travel and prevent migratory and security risks with the help of the Programme.

The Regulations of the new Funds were adopted by the competent institutions of the European Union (Council of the EU, European Commission and European Parliament) on 15 July 2021. Following the practice of the Programming Periods 2007-2013 and 2014-2020, each Fund has its own multiannual Programme. In general, the projects shall be implemented mainly through shared management with a maximum contribution of 75% by the European Union (other than some specific cases where the percentage may be up to 100%), while 25% shall be paid by national resources. The new Programme for Cyprus for the BMVI  was approved on January 20, 2023.

Watch the videos prepared by the European Commission for the new funds at the Home Affairs Funds' videos link.
You can read more about the new Programming Period 2021-2027 in the presentation on BMVI made by the European Funds Unit at the Sixth Monitoring Committee of the Home Affairs Funds 2014-2020 on 30/11/2021.