Visas no longer required when traveling between North and South Cyprus

The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 into a Turkish Cypriot government in the northern third of the island, recognized only by Turkey, and the internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot administration in the southern two thirds, after a military coup by Greece was followed by the intervention of Turkey as a guarantor state on the island.

However as of 12:00am local time May 16, the visa requirements for traveling between the north and south will have been lifted. No longer will a visa slip and a stamp be required at border crossings, but rather simply presenting one’s ID will be enough to cross between the two states.

Turkish Cypriot President Mustafa Akıncı and Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades met Friday to resume peace negotiations over the Cyprus issue at the UN's office in Cyprus alongside the UN's Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide. Eide had included the new visa measures among new practices put forward by the KKTC aimed at building trust.

“The travel papers required by KKTC citizens and foreigners traveling from KKTC to South Cyprus and from South Cyprus to the KKTC will no longer be required as of May 16, 2015,” read a written statement by the KKTC Interior Ministry. There was also a 15 minute trial of the new practice on Friday.

The borders between the two states had first been opened on April 23, 2003.

 

 

 

Source:
BGNNews.com | Istanbul