Authorities in Northern Cyprus are planning major amendments to migration legislation that could significantly simplify the legalization process for foreigners residing in the country without valid status. The initiative has already been approved by the Council of Ministers and is активно discussed in local media.
According to the proposed reform, foreign nationals will be given 45 days to submit an application to participate in the amnesty program. After that, applicants will have an additional 60 days to fully legalize their stay — for example, by obtaining a student visa, work permit, or residence permit.
Currently, existing regulations impose substantial fines for overstaying — an amount equivalent to one day of the minimum wage is charged for each day of violation. As a result, many foreigners, especially students and graduates, have accumulated significant debts, creating difficulties with leaving the country and further legal stay.
The new initiative proposes a more flexible approach: to qualify for the amnesty, it will be sufficient to submit an online application to the migration authorities and pay a fixed fee equal to one minimum wage. This will allow accumulated fines to be cleared and the legalization process to begin.
The program will cover a wide range of foreigners — tourists, students, workers, and others who are currently outside the official system. It will also be available to individuals who are currently abroad but have first-degree relatives in Northern Cyprus, as well as those who were previously deported due to migration violations.
The main goal of the reform is to reduce the number of undocumented residents, improve security, and bring people out of the “grey zone.” Particular attention is being given to appeals from universities, which highlighted the issue of students becoming violators after graduation due to accumulated migration debts.
For many foreigners, this could become a real opportunity to legalize their status without leaving the country and without facing substantial financial losses.
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