Naturalized TRNC citizens
Encyclopedia
Naturalized Northern Cyprus Citizens are persons granted Citizenship
by the Government
of Northern Cyprus, which is recognized only by Turkey
and the non-sovereign
autonomous region of Nakhichevan
, Azerbaijan
.
in order to increase their numbers vis-a-vis the population of the Greek-Cypriots in the Republic of Cyprus. Most of the immigrants come from the Anatolia
region of Turkey, though a few others from the United Kingdom
do come to live in Northern Cyprus in order to take advantage of property sales. No immigration is permitted however that would threaten the demographic status of the ethnic Turkish
majority.
The Government of the Republic of Cyprus views the immigration policy of Northern Cyprus as a means to upset the island's demographics, and as a theft of Greek-Cypriot owned property. They therefore officially regard any naturalized Northern Cyprus citizens as 'illegal settlers', who would be subject to deportation
in the event of Cypriot reunification. It is the policy of the Republic of Cyprus to refuse naturalized Northern Cyprus citizens entry into the Republic of Cyprus through the Green Line checkpoints, since they have entered into Cyprus through what is considered as an unlawful port of entry. So the refusal of entry to the Republic mainly applies to the Turkish settlers, as Turkish citizens of Turkey are permitted to enter the Republic of Cyprus, but only through the lawful ports of entry.
However, naturalized British citizens of Northern Cyprus own British passports anyway, so they are not affected by this policy.
The Republic of Cyprus has declared any Northern Cyprus seaport or airport as an unlawful port of entry; however, in practice, Ercan airport is used as the principal civilian airport of Northern Cyprus, and the same applies to the ports of Famagusta
and Kyrenia
.
Furthermore, the government of the Republic of Cyprus considers the immigration policy of Northern Cyprus to be in violation of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention
of 1949 ("Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War"), which prohibits the transfer by an occupying power of its own civilian population into the territory it is occupying. Also, in Resolutions 33/15 (1978), 24/30 (1979) and 37/253 (1983), the United Nations General Assembly deplored "all unilateral actions that change the demographic structure of Cyprus".
Also, any citizen of Northern Cyprus (should they wish) is entitled to citizenship of Turkey and to receive a Turkish passport.
and unemployment
, the previously unrestricted immigration policy for Turkish migrants was tightened. In the wake of this new policy, a number of Turkish migrants have been deported and immigration procedures have changed to allow Northern Cyprus to better screen migrant applicants. Turkey itself regards policy change as a heavy-handed reaction, thus causing the first major area of disagreement
between Northern Cyprus and Turkey.
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
by the Government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
of Northern Cyprus, which is recognized only by Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and the non-sovereign
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
autonomous region of Nakhichevan
Nakhichevan
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is a landlocked exclave of Azerbaijan. The region covers 5,363 km² and borders Armenia to the east and north, Iran to the south and west, and Turkey to the northwest...
, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
.
Republic of Cyprus viewpoint
It has been the policy of the de facto state Northern Cyprus to encourage non-Greek immigration into the country. It has also been the policy of the Republic of Cyprus to do the same thing since taking advantage of British occupation of Cyprus. This was decided upon shortly after the Declaration of Independence of the Turkish Republic of Northern CyprusDeclaration of Independence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Eight years after the Turkish Federative State of North Cyprus was proclaimed , the UDI of North Cyprus was presented to the Northern Cypriot Parliament in North Nicosia by Turkish Cypriot Leader/Northern Cypriot State President Rauf Denktaş on November 15, 1983...
in order to increase their numbers vis-a-vis the population of the Greek-Cypriots in the Republic of Cyprus. Most of the immigrants come from the Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
region of Turkey, though a few others from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
do come to live in Northern Cyprus in order to take advantage of property sales. No immigration is permitted however that would threaten the demographic status of the ethnic Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
majority.
The Government of the Republic of Cyprus views the immigration policy of Northern Cyprus as a means to upset the island's demographics, and as a theft of Greek-Cypriot owned property. They therefore officially regard any naturalized Northern Cyprus citizens as 'illegal settlers', who would be subject to deportation
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
in the event of Cypriot reunification. It is the policy of the Republic of Cyprus to refuse naturalized Northern Cyprus citizens entry into the Republic of Cyprus through the Green Line checkpoints, since they have entered into Cyprus through what is considered as an unlawful port of entry. So the refusal of entry to the Republic mainly applies to the Turkish settlers, as Turkish citizens of Turkey are permitted to enter the Republic of Cyprus, but only through the lawful ports of entry.
However, naturalized British citizens of Northern Cyprus own British passports anyway, so they are not affected by this policy.
The Republic of Cyprus has declared any Northern Cyprus seaport or airport as an unlawful port of entry; however, in practice, Ercan airport is used as the principal civilian airport of Northern Cyprus, and the same applies to the ports of Famagusta
Famagusta
Famagusta is a city on the east coast of Cyprus and is capital of the Famagusta District. It is located east of Nicosia, and possesses the deepest harbour of the island.-Name:...
and Kyrenia
Kyrenia
Kyrenia is a town on the northern coast of Cyprus, noted for its historic harbour and castle. Internationally recognised as part of the Republic of Cyprus, Kyrenia has been under Turkish control since the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974...
.
Furthermore, the government of the Republic of Cyprus considers the immigration policy of Northern Cyprus to be in violation of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention
Fourth Geneva Convention
The Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, commonly referred to as the Fourth Geneva Convention and abbreviated as GCIV, is one of the four treaties of the Geneva Conventions. It was adopted in August 1949, and defines humanitarian protections for civilians...
of 1949 ("Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War"), which prohibits the transfer by an occupying power of its own civilian population into the territory it is occupying. Also, in Resolutions 33/15 (1978), 24/30 (1979) and 37/253 (1983), the United Nations General Assembly deplored "all unilateral actions that change the demographic structure of Cyprus".
Practical difficulties
As a Northern Cyprus passport is not recognised by most national governments (much like the republic itself), naturalised citizens have to resort to other nations' passports in order to travel internationally. (A few countries such as the UK, the USA, and Pakistan accept a Northern Cyprus passport). Actually many Turkish Cypriots who are born in Cyprus with parents who can trace their Cypriot and legal residence before the partition applied for and received a Cypriot passport from the recognised Republic of Cyprus. Because of the abandonment of the Republic of Cyprus by the Turkish Cypriot community since 1963, none of them choose to stand for election in elections of the Republic of Cyprus.Also, any citizen of Northern Cyprus (should they wish) is entitled to citizenship of Turkey and to receive a Turkish passport.
Recent policy changes
In 2005, after an increase in both crimeCrime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
and unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
, the previously unrestricted immigration policy for Turkish migrants was tightened. In the wake of this new policy, a number of Turkish migrants have been deported and immigration procedures have changed to allow Northern Cyprus to better screen migrant applicants. Turkey itself regards policy change as a heavy-handed reaction, thus causing the first major area of disagreement
Foreign relations of Northern Cyprus
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, due to its unrecognized status internationally, is dependent on Turkey to facilitate its contacts with the international community...
between Northern Cyprus and Turkey.
See also
- Northern Cypriot passportNorthern Cypriot passportHolders of a Northern Cypriot Citizen passport can visit 7 countries in the world. According to the Northern Cypriot government, these countries are: Australia, Pakistan, France, Syria, Turkey, the United States and the United Kingdom.-External links:*...
- Politics of Northern Cyprus
- Foreign relations of Northern CyprusForeign relations of Northern CyprusThe Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, due to its unrecognized status internationally, is dependent on Turkey to facilitate its contacts with the international community...
- Turkish Cypriot diasporaTurkish Cypriot diasporaThe Turkish Cypriot diaspora is a term used to refer to the Turkish Cypriot community living outside the island of Cyprus.-History:In 1914, Britain annexed the island of Cyprus when the Ottomans joined World War I against the Allied Forces...
- Visa requirements for Northern Cypriot citizensVisa requirements for Northern Cypriot citizensHolders of an ordinary Northern Cypriot passport can visit one country without the need to obtain an entry visa. The passport is accepted as a travel document by a limited number of countries because this entity has limited international recognition. Normally, no visa is placed in the document...