Cyprus News | Expats Could Soon Apply for TRNC Citizenship
It may have upset some people but the newly proposed citizenship rules state that ex-pats resident in north Cyprus for five years or more will receive a ‘white identity card’ and those who have lived here for 10 years or more can apply for citizenship. It is not clear what will happen if you flash your white ID card but citizenship brings with it many benefits including free membership to the armed forces. That’s got to be better than paying for a gym membership, surely. You can, however, buy yourself out of military service, allegedly for £3000. Another benefit is that when you buy property, as a citizen, you would be able to transfer title deeds at the time of the property purchase.
Not everyone is happy though. Enver Dincoglu, chairman of a settlers’ organization called the ‘Refugees’ Association’, said that if his members are forced to wait 10 years for citizenship then his organisation would “knock on all doors, including the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)”. Bertan Zaroglu, chairman of the settlers from Alexandretta, argued that the government’s plans would be contrary to the TRNC Constitution and to Human Rights.
Oh, and as a citizen, you are allowed to vote.
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