Cyprus is a country with a high level of economy and the most comfortable conditions for living and employment. The island is divided into two parts – Turkish (Northern Cyprus) and Greek (Southern). Developed infrastructure, loyal legislation and a wide range of activities annually attract thousands of tourists to the country who seek to register permanent residence in Cyprus.
An application for resident status should be submitted to the migration service, which is under the control of the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is impossible to obtain permanent residence immediately after moving; first you need to apply for a temporary residence permit.
Southern or “Greek” Cyprus is a country that is part of the European Union, so many of the rules and conditions for processing documents here are similar to European ones. You can go to the island with a national or Schengen visa.
Advantages of living in Northern Cyprus
Positive points in Northern Cyprus include:
- High transport accessibility, allowing you to fly directly to Cyprus from Moscow.
Airport building in Northern Cyprus
- There is no language barrier - a large number of people speak Russian. As a last resort - in English.
- Clean environment and excellent climatic conditions.
- The ease of obtaining a residence permit and permanent residence with citizenship, thanks to the interest of the authorities in visiting foreigners.
- Life safety, where the guarantor is the British military bases located on the territory of the country. Plus, it’s difficult to hide from justice in a small area after committing a crime.
All this gives every reason to choose Northern Cyprus for your place of residence.
Benefits of moving
If many tourists come to the island, and some of them stay to live here, does this mean that local life can be called paradise? One can argue about life, but the climatic conditions here are truly incredibly comfortable. The average annual temperature is +20 degrees; on the coast of the northern part of the island, the swimming season begins in April and ends at the end of December. The locals are very welcoming and it is very easy to fall in love with Cypriot cuisine. There are other advantages:
- easy procedure for obtaining a residence permit;
- low crime rate;
- good infrastructure and transport accessibility;
- excellent ecology;
- rich cultural heritage;
- reasonable real estate prices.
Russians in Cyprus live in entire neighborhoods, so if you are afraid to move to another country due to the language barrier, Cyprus is the best choice.
Disadvantages of living in Northern Cyprus
Now it’s worth telling about the negative aspects, they also occur:
- More expensive life compared to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Eastern Europe.
- The warm climate of the state may not suit everyone. Some areas are prone to drought in spring and summer.
- Obtaining a residence permit is not a basis for work.
This is what a residence permit stamp looks like in Northern Cyprus
In general, not much, but before making a final decision, it is better to emigrate to Northern Cyprus, go there for a short time, look around and only then make a decision. Moreover, for a short trip to Northern Cyprus there is no need to apply for a visa.
Immigration to Cyprus: emigration to northern Cyprus from Russia in 2020
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Home » News » Updated rules for entry into Northern Cyprus for foreigners from July 1, 2021.
Due to the worsening epidemiological situation in Turkey, the Council of Ministers of Northern Cyprus held an extraordinary meeting on June 26, 2021. At this meeting, updated entry rules for foreigners from different countries into the TRNC from July 1, 2020 were established.
Entry rules for foreigners to Northern Cyprus from July 1, 2020:
Category A (low-risk countries): Austria, Germany, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, South Korea, Southern Cyprus, Croatia, Switzerland, Iceland, Karabakh, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Greece. All passengers arriving from these countries will undergo PCR tests, which they must do 72 hours before boarding the plane. If the result is negative, they will be able to board a plane and enter the country without having to quarantine.
Category B (medium risk countries): Australia, Belgium, United Arab Emirates, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Spain, Japan, Canada, Lebanon, Maldives, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Turkey, Jordan. Passengers arriving from these countries must take one PCR test 72 hours before traveling to the TRNC. And the second PCR test after entering Northern Cyprus. After this, they will be required to quarantine at home until the test results are received.
Category C (High Risk Countries): USA, Brazil, India, England, Italy, Sweden, Iran, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, all other countries. Passengers arriving from these countries in the TRNC must take a PCR test upon entry and quarantine in places designated for them (not at home) for 14 days after arrival in Northern Cyprus. Quarantine costs (4,400 Turkish lira) will be covered from the personal funds of foreigners.
The lists of countries by category will be constantly updated based on the latest WHO data.
Unscrupulous real estate sellers.
Refusal of a residence permit: reasons
Sometimes it is possible to refuse to obtain resident status in Cyprus. According to the legislation of the country, it is not subject to appeal. But you can eliminate the reason for the refusal and resubmit the papers.
Among the reasons leading to the refusal:
- submission of an incomplete package of documents;
- an attempt to obtain a residence permit by dishonest means;
- violations of the law;
- insufficient financial assets;
- identified connections with enemies of the Republic of Cyprus - for example, entry into Northern Cyprus through Turkey.
income from abroad at least 30 thousand.
Visa regime for Northern Cyprus
A short trip to this country for a month allows you not to apply for a visa. Upon arrival at the airport, a corresponding stamp is affixed to the civil document. You only need to have tickets with your passport.
If you need to continue your trip, you can extend your stay by 3 months. For those wishing to stay forever in this hospitable country, there are several types of permits. The right of permanent resident of Northern Cyprus is granted to work visas, business visas, student visas and residence permits.
Sample visa for Northern Cyprus
It is worth considering each separately for clarity.
Residence permit
A residence permit takes 1–2 months to issue. You can be guaranteed to receive it when purchasing a home. As soon as the purchase agreement is signed, you should immediately start applying for a residence permit visa. This permit is valid for a year, with the possibility of further extension for the same period. Residence permits are also received by family members of those who bought real estate in Northern Cyprus, even if they are not its owners.
List of documents required for obtaining a residence permit:
- international passport;
- copies of the home purchase agreement;
- confirmation of the availability of a sufficient amount of money for the coming year. This is approximately 1,260 liras/month;
- eight passport photos;
- ten postage stamps;
- in case of existing marriage ties - certificates.
Having lived in this status for 5 years, you can count on obtaining permanent residence and citizenship.
Working resolution
To be able to earn money in Northern Cyprus, you need to apply for a work visa.
This should be done by the employer, but work in Northern Cyprus can be provided if there is no local specialist for the desired vacancy. And at the same time, the employer will need to prove that a foreign specialist is needed at his enterprise. The appeal is addressed to the Ministry of Labor and Social Insurance, and then to the country’s migration service.
Business permit
A foreigner opening a business in Northern Cyprus establishes and registers a company. For this he must contact the Department of Commercial Firms. Then you will need to register with the tax department and receive the necessary papers. After this, the emigrant goes to the immigration service with the entire package.
Student Permit
This type of visa is issued and issued by educational institutions in Northern Cyprus.
Building of the Cyprus International University in Nicosia
Emigration with the acquisition of citizenship is possible in the following cases:
- the period of stay in Northern Cyprus is more than 7 years;
- if there are no problems with the law (legal and/or administrative violations);
- if a certain amount is invested in the economy and politics of the state.
That is, there is nothing complicated, which is why Northern Cyprus is so attractive for emigration.
Resident card
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, or TRNC for short, is officially recognized only by Turkey, and most of it is under military control. However, to visit this state you do not need to obtain an additional visa. Upon arrival at the airport, all tourists are given a migration sheet on which the date of arrival and the planned date of departure are indicated. With such a document, you can stay in Northern Cyprus for 30 or 90 days, depending on the data that the tourist provides during registration.
The only way to get to Northern Cyprus is by plane. Regular flights depart from anywhere in the world, but a transfer is required either in Turkey or Cyprus.
Obtaining a residence permit in Northern Cyprus is much easier than in other European countries. And the main advantages of such a document also include:
- Speed of decision making. It takes less than a month to complete all the necessary documents.
- Unlimited choice. In the country, you can purchase absolutely any housing that is offered on the real estate market; there are no restrictions on cost.
- No need to buy a business. Also, those tourists who are going for permanent residence in the country do not need to open any business or create jobs.
- Versatility. Having issued a residence permit to one of the family members, the other spouse and children will also be able to obtain documents, and this time according to a simplified scheme.
To register a residence permit, you must contact the migration service. The standard package of documents includes an application form, a bank statement indicating the minimum allowable threshold of funds per person, a passport, and a birth certificate for children. In addition, employees will need to provide a certificate of no criminal record.
Foreigners wishing to obtain a residence permit in Northern Cyprus must meet three main criteria. First, have positive characteristics. Secondly, reside in the country for at least 5 years. And thirdly, the desire to obtain a residence permit and live in Cyprus further.
Travelers who dream of visiting Northern Cyprus can apply for a tourist visa. Those arriving at the airport are given a border crossing stamp on a separate form. It allows you to stay in the country from 30 to 90 days. During this period of time, a tourist can contact government authorities to apply for temporary resident status in the northern part of the island. To do this, you must provide the police with:
- passport and its copy;
- certificate of medical examination;
- photo;
- statement of account;
- a document that confirms the presence of any real estate in Northern Cyprus;
- receipt of payment of state duty.
A residence permit is issued on average 21 days, and after its official receipt, you can live in Northern Cyprus for 10 years.
However, the procedure for obtaining a residence permit also has its own peculiarities. For example, citizens of any country over 65 years of age can live on the island without formalized documents or a visa.
Also, when purchasing real estate in the northern part of the island, foreigners automatically receive temporary resident status. And being in this status for more than 6 years allows you to apply for a residence permit. This method of obtaining a residence permit allows you to be absent from the country for some time and live, for example, in another state.
Purchasing real estate in another country not only allows you to stay on its territory for an unlimited amount of time, but can also become an additional source of income; the purchased housing can be rented out. At the same time, children until adulthood do not receive a residence permit; it is enough for them that one of their parents has such status.
Life in Northern Cyprus
Those who plan to emigrate to this country are primarily interested in how good life is in Northern Cyprus. It cannot be called cheap and easy. Given the differences in the concept of normal life, it’s worth just talking about the main expenses that await emigrants.
Real estate
Real estate in Northern Cyprus is not too expensive - within 40-50 thousand euros you can purchase ready-made housing without additional investments.
Townhouses in a condominium in Northern Cyprus
Payment for electricity, water and gas
One kilowatt in terms of Russian currency costs 6 rubles. In the winter-autumn period, bills reach up to one and a half thousand rubles, and in the heat, if you use air conditioning, up to 2500. But this also includes paying taxes and street lighting.
You will have to pay about 500 rubles for water. per month, this is without using it for drinking, but only cooking and cleaning the room. If you cook food using gas, you will have to purchase cylinders that cost from 650 rubles. One is enough for 3 months.
Real estate and taxes
Once a year, a real estate tax is levied, the square meter of which costs 16 rubles.
Food
The main expenses go to food, the sizes of which are very individual. Here are the approximate prices of basic products (converted to rubles):
- a simple loaf of bread costs 15 rubles, and sliced bread costs 40–65;
- ten eggs – 50;
- liter of milk – 35;
- liter pack of juice – 40;
- kilogram of sugar – 30;
- kilogram of rice cereal – 50;
- kilogram of buckwheat – 130;
- pasta (packaging) – 20;
- pack of 125 g butter – 50;
- liter bottle of sunflower oil – 70;
- kilogram of local cheese – 250;
- kilogram of imported cheese – 320–650;
- boiled sausage (300 g) – 500;
- pork (kg) – 320;
- beef (kg) – 300–500;
- chicken (kg) – 150;
- chicken by-products (kg) – 80;
- tea bags – 80;
- potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers (kg) – 25–70;
- greens (large bunch) – 20.
As you can see, prices are not too different from Russian ones, so if you emigrate to this country, you will spend about the same amount on food as at home.
Gasoline cost
Gasoline, for example, 95th costs 63 rubles per liter. This is significantly more expensive than in Russia, but when traveling only around the city, home-work-shop-home, the consumption will be no more than three tanks per month. That is, in terms of rubles, it is approximately 5,000.
Internet
Nowadays, no one can live without daily access to the Internet, especially emigrants who have loved ones left in their homeland. This service in Northern Cyprus is not the cheapest - good wireless Internet speed will cost 1,350 rubles.
cellular
For mobile communications you will have to pay approximately 300 rubles per person. monthly. Almost no one uses landline phones in the country.
Relax on the beach
There are, of course, free beaches not far from home, but generally you will have to pay for a beach holiday in the range of 40–320 rubles.
The price depends on the level of the beach area - modest municipal or luxurious private.
Visiting restaurants
It is unlikely that any emigrant will refuse to try local dishes. A visit to a restaurant for two with a hot dish and a bottle of good wine will cost 1,500 rubles. The good news is that all such establishments have decent portion sizes, allowing you not only to enjoy the taste, but also to leave full.
Methods and conditions for obtaining permanent residence in “Greek” Cyprus
The following may apply for Cyprus resident status:
- Foreigners doing business on the island. The main areas of activity should be agriculture, industry, trade, animal husbandry, government officials and scientists are also welcome. Those migrants who work with regional Cypriot companies can live permanently.
- People with passive stable income. This category mainly includes retirees who seek to move to more comfortable conditions after finishing their working career. Applicants for permanent residence in Cyprus due to financial indicators do not have the right to work on the island. Applications from migrants with a stable income are given priority if the applicant owns Cypriot real estate worth more than 300 thousand euros.
- Investors in the Cyprus economy. Large sums of money, representing deposits in a Cypriot bank, turnover of industrial companies, investments in real estate, costing from 3 million euros - all these are factors for moving and participating in the government’s state program for obtaining not only permanent residence, but also citizenship.
Registration of permanent residence is carried out at the capital's migration service. Those wishing to leave, live and work on the island must provide a package of documents to obtain documents, which includes:
- application in form M 67;
- bank account statement with personal funds;
- passport;
- marriage and birth certificates;
- certificate of good conduct;
- passport size photo;
- a copy of the real estate purchase agreement.
Migrants who decide to move to Cyprus for permanent residence must meet three factors: have positive characteristics, have lived on the island for at least five years and a desire to continue living in the country.
With proper preparation of documents, obtaining permanent residence in Cyprus takes 48 hours. Experienced lawyers can guarantee the correctness of paperwork. The services of specialists will help save time and effort.
Border between North and South Cyprus
We draw attention to the passage of the border between South and North Cyprus. Currently, visas are issued electronically, without a mark in the passport. If the visa stamp was indeed not affixed to the passport or on a separate insert, it is recommended to clarify the exact number of days for which the Northern Cyprus visa was received. A visa is issued for a period of up to 90 calendar days, which in practice can be either 10 days or a month. Staying without a visa faces a fine of about 80 TRY per day. For security reasons, you should check the deadline when crossing the border.
Who can live in Northern Cyprus without obtaining a residence permit?
There are several categories of foreigners who may not apply for a residence permit and still live in the TRNC with their family and friends.
- Foreign citizens married to a citizen of Northern Cyprus.
- Children (under 18 years old) of residence permit holders. They will need to be registered with local authorities, but you do not need to obtain a full-fledged residence permit.
- Embassy employees and their immediate family members covered by the Vienna Convention.
- Foreign citizens working in branches of foreign companies and having a special status of stay in the republic.
- Foreigners who have a work visa or the right to open their own business.
- Military personnel arriving in the TRNC to conduct exercises.
- Prisoners in colonies until the end of the punishment period.
