….e-visa to cost $40
The Republic Island of Cyprus is set to introduce an electronic visa (e-visa) system for citizens of Nigeria, Armenia and Syria seeking to visit the northern part of the country, known as Turkish Cypriot.
The current consular visa application process for these countries will be discontinued, and the e-visa system will be implemented.
Currently, Nigerian, Armenian and Syrian citizens travelling to northern Cyprus must obtain a full visa in advance through Turkish Cypriot representative offices abroad, except those in Geneva and Strasbourg. Nationals of most other countries can enter the north as tourists without obtaining a visa beforehand.
The e-visa will cost $40 (€34.30), although the authorities have yet to announce a specific date for the system’s launch.
Unal Ustel, the Turkish Cypriot prime minister, announced the change as part of a broader effort by the government for the territory to remain open to international visitors while maintaining tighter oversight of immigration and security.
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“Our country’s doors will be open to the world, but our state will know who enters through these doors, why, and under what status,” he said.
Under regulatory changes issued on Monday, e-visa applications are expected to be processed within 30 days of submission. However, the processing period could be extended to a maximum of 60 days where additional administrative requirements arise.
Ustel said the changes were aimed at combining greater openness to international visitors with tighter controls over who enters the territory.
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“We are updating our legal framework, strengthening our technical infrastructure, addressing personnel shortages in our institutions, and integrating the opportunities offered by technology into our security system,” he said.
He added that the authorities needed to know who is coming to the TRNC, for what purpose, when, and under what status, stressing that every person entering the territory must be registered.
“With the new system, entry controls will not only begin at the border. Necessary checks and security assessments can be carried out before a person arrives in the country,” Ustel said.
Initially, nationals of Nigeria, Syria and Armenia will be eligible to use the e-visa system. However, the Turkish Cypriot cabinet will have the authority to expand or alter the list of eligible nationalities, while the ‘interior ministry’ will be able to amend application criteria and conditions.
The new process will also introduce additional screening before travel. Applications will undergo preliminary assessment by the migration department, with the police and other relevant institutions consulted depending on the applicant’s purpose of visit.
Ngozi Ekugo is a Senior Correspondent at BusinessDay. She holds a Masters in management from the University of Lagos, an undergraduate from University of Lagos, and is in an alumni of Queen's College. Shes currently an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM). She has a brief experience at Goldman sachs, London in its Human Capital Management division. She is interested in human capital development and is leveraging her varied experience across sectors to report labour and global mobility trends for stakeholders to make informed decisions.
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