Residency

There is no automatic right to reside and work in the TRNC for EU citizens. If you want stay in TRNC longer than the period of a tourist visa, you have to get a residency permit. Typically you enter TRNC on a 30 day tourist visa, so you MUST apply for a residence permit BEFORE this 30 days expires otherwise you will be suibject to fines and it may jeopardise your residency application.
The first port of call is the government website https://permissions.gov.ct.tr/staypermit? where you will enter the following:
o Personal Information
o Visa Category
o Additional Information
o Document Upload
The system will then allocate you an appointment at your local police station where you will need to take the following documents:
o Passport original and photocopy. If you have the title deeds to property in your name, the title deeds (original) and photocopy. If you have purchased a property under Contract of Sale, but have not yet received the title deeds to the property, the Contract of Sale (original) and photocopy + Counsel of Ministers Application . If you are living in rented accommodation, the Tenancy Agreement (original) and photocopy.
o A letter (Ikametgah Belgesi) from your local village chief (Mukhtar) to say you reside in his village. You usually find your Mukhtar in the centre of the village where you live, near to the local municipality (Belediye) building or the post office.
o Bank documents showing you can support yourself in the TRNC without working.
o 2 passport photos.
o Stamps . The amount required is constantly changing, so take spares in case more are required.
o Existing Residency Certificate if applicable.
o Children's pasport or Birth certificate (except turkish citizens) if applicable.
After you've visited the police, the system will then refer you to the Lefkosa State Hospital, or a licensed clinic, for a health test. The test will check for infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis and TB. The clinic will forward the report to Immigration usually within 15 days.
o Assuming the health report is okay, the system will then ask you to make online payment to the Tax Office.
o Immigration will then provide your Residency Permit online which you can download.
Notes
A residency permit only entitles you to live in the TRNC, not work or set up a business. It’s initially valid for 1 year unless you are aged over 60 in which case you can get a 5 year residency.
Children under the age of 18
Don’t require residency permits so families moving to TRNC only need apply for residency for the adult members of the family.
Non-citizens who give birth to a child in TRNC
You need to notify your embassy or consulate of the birth. Once this has been done and a letter to this effect has been obtained from the embassy or consulate, you apply to the District Office (Kaymakamlik) in the area in which you live, to register the child’s birth.
Citizenship
Becoming a citizen of TRNC is more complex. Citizenship is granted to all whose mother or father is a Turkish Cypriot or to those married to a Turkish Cypriot. Presently, there is a new law in Parliament to allow foreign nationals to become citizens of the TRNC after 10 years of residence in the TRNC.
This guide is intended for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. The information provided is on the basis of current law at the time of writing.