Syria, Nigeria and Armenia to switch to e-visas for entry to Northern Cyprus

Prime Minister Ünal Üstel announced the implementation of the Gö-Sis and E-Vize systems, which are intended to strengthen control over entry into and exit from the country and help combat illegal migration. According to Üstel, the state must know who is arriving in Northern Cyprus, for what purpose, when and in what status. The necessary checks are planned to be carried out before the person arrives.

At the first stage, citizens of Syria, Nigeria and Armenia will be included in the E-Vize system. The existing consular visa system for citizens of these countries will be replaced by an electronic visa. Applications will be preliminarily reviewed by the Department of Migration. Depending on the purpose of the trip, opinions from the police and other government institutions will be requested. Thus, security checks will begin before entry.

The changes will also affect foreign students. An invitation from a university alone will no longer be sufficient for entry. Universities will have to send the data and documents of prospective students to the Department of Migration online.

After the review, including consideration of the opinion of the General Directorate of Police, a decision will be made on whether to permit entry. Students from countries whose citizens require a visa will have to complete the E-Vize procedure.

Once entry is approved, the student will automatically be assigned a foreigner identification number. This will make it possible to track their status from the moment of entry until registration at the university and the issuance of a residence permit.

Üstel said that the authorities do not intend to close Northern Cyprus to the outside world, but want to ensure controlled and safe entry.