Turkish Cypriots who have Greek Cypriot-issued Republic of Cyprus passports may be able to fly to England with Cyprus Turkish Airlines (CTA) without a visa, the London Turkish Gazette has learned.
But it is not clear whether customs officials in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will actually allow Cyprus Republic passport holders to board the aircraft.
According to credible sources in the TRNC, people with Cyprus Republic passports are now able to buy tickets from CTA to fly to the UK .
Up until recently CTA would not issue tickets to Cyprus Republic passport holders.
Those with TRNC passports must have a visa from the British authorities.
Since the ‘green line’ was opened in Cyprus last year thousands of Turkish Cypriots have obtained Cyprus Republic passports, with some flying out through Larnaca airport on the Greek side of the island to get around the restrictions.
It is thought that allowing Cyprus Republic passport-holders to fly with CTA will put an end to this.
According to sources, a document sent to CTA called for ‘necessary measures to be taken on the issue of passengers with Cyprus Republic passports flying with CTA’.
While staff at one CTA office in Lefkosa confirmed the existence of such a document, senior officials at the airline neither confimed nor denied it, saying that they were ‘examining the situation’.
An official from Travel World International, which charters flights from Onur Air, said that they ‘give tickets to anyone with a valid passport’.
However, Turkish Cypriots who live in London and hold Cyprus Republic passports need a visa from the TRNC Representative to fly in the opposite direction.
Meanwhile, there is also speculation that the United Kingdom may be about to lift its visa requirement on TRNC passport holders and allow direct flights.
The UK had said it would ‘not leave Turkish Cypriots out in the cold’ after 65% of Turkish Cypriots vote yes in a referendum to re-unite the island.
But the Annan peace plan was rejected by three quarters of Greek Cypriots.
