1. For the purposes of this Article, "external borders of the Sovereign Base Areas" means the sea boundaries and the airports and seaports of the Sovereign Base Areas, but not their land and sea boundaries with the Republic of Cyprus. Subject to paragraph 6, for the purposes of paragraphs 2 and 7, "crossing points" means any crossing point authorised by the authorities of the United Kingdom for the crossing of the external borders of the Sovereign Base Areas.

2. The United Kingdom shall carry out checks on persons crossing the external borders of the Sovereign Base Areas. Those checks shall include the verification of travel documents. All persons shall undergo at least one such check in order to establish their identity. The United Kingdom shall only allow the external borders of the Sovereign Base Areas to be crossed at crossing points.

3. Nationals of third countries and nationals of the United Kingdom shall only be permitted to cross the external borders of the Sovereign Base Areas if they fulfil the following conditions:

(a) they possess a valid travel document;

(b) they are in possession of a valid visa for the Republic of Cyprus, if required;

(c) they are engaged in a defence-related activity or are family members of a person who is engaged in such activity; and

(d) they are not a threat to national security.

The condition specified in point (c) shall not apply to United Kingdom nationals crossing the boundary referred to in paragraph 6.

The United Kingdom may only derogate from the conditions referred to in the first subparagraph on humanitarian grounds, on grounds of national interest or in order to comply with its international obligations.

Members of a force, civilian component and dependants, as defined in Annex C to the Treaty of Establishment, shall be treated as not requiring a visa for the Republic of Cyprus.

4. Any applicant for asylum who first entered the island of Cyprus from outside the Union by one of the Sovereign Base Areas shall be taken back or readmitted to the Sovereign Base Areas at the request of the Member State in whose territory the applicant is present.

The Republic of Cyprus shall continue to cooperate with the United Kingdom with a view to devising practical ways and means of respecting the rights and satisfying the needs of asylum seekers and illegal migrants in the Sovereign Base Areas, bearing in mind humanitarian considerations and in compliance with the relevant Sovereign Base Area Administration legislation.

5. Without prejudice to paragraph 6, there shall be no checks on persons at the land and sea boundaries between the Sovereign Base Areas and the Republic of Cyprus.

6. The boundary between the Eastern Sovereign Base Area and those areas of the Republic of Cyprus in which the Government of the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise effective control shall be treated as part of the external borders of the Sovereign Base Areas for the purposes of this Article for the duration of the suspension of the application of the acquis according to Article 1 of Protocol No 10. That boundary may only be crossed at the crossing points of Strovilia and Pergamos. With the prior agreement of and in cooperation with the United Kingdom authorities, the Republic of Cyprus may take further measures to combat illegal migration with respect to persons who have crossed that boundary.

7. The United Kingdom authorities shall use mobile units to carry out external border surveillance between border crossing points and at crossing points outside of normal opening hours at the external borders of the Sovereign Base Areas and at the boundary between the Sovereign Base Area of Dhekelia and those areas of the Republic of Cyprus in which the Government of the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise effective control. That surveillance shall be carried out in such a way as to discourage persons from circumventing the checks at crossing points. The United Kingdom authorities shall deploy enough suitably qualified officers to carry out those checks and surveillance.

8. The United Kingdom authorities shall maintain constant close cooperation with the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus with a view to the effective implementation of the checks and surveillance referred to in paragraphs 6 and 7.