Crossing from the South to North Cyprus

piggy


Joined: 15/02/2009
Posts: 132

Message Posted:
12/04/2011 12:10

I have friends who will be travelling around Cyprus and they would like to cross over the Border to visit the north, is this possible as one of them holds a South African passport?



Thank you

NiZCarRent


Joined: 12/04/2011
Posts: 7

Message Posted:
12/04/2011 12:25

No i think so .. cause i finishned my army and i talked before united n. soldirs.. they need vise or somethink like that.. before they must to go to embassy...

ianwfs


Joined: 08/01/2008
Posts: 563

Message Posted:
12/04/2011 14:16

Piggy, Provided your South African friend's point of entry to Cyprus was in the south, there will be no problem.

piggy


Joined: 15/02/2009
Posts: 132

Message Posted:
12/04/2011 14:37

Thank you, there point of entry is from the south.

YFred


Joined: 06/05/2009
Posts: 1471

Message Posted:
12/04/2011 15:14

All this talk of point of entry north south and all that is getting GR my Alsatian dog very excited. Stop it.

piggy


Joined: 15/02/2009
Posts: 132

Message Posted:
12/04/2011 15:26

One further question that has cropped up is, they want to be able to drive their hire car from the south to the north will they be able to. As my guest has read in the Rough Guide of Cyprus that they will not be allowed due to one of them having a South African passport!!!



Thank you

Clarissa2


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 1476

Message Posted:
12/04/2011 15:47

Re: Msg 6,



They will be able to drive their car from the South to the North if their car hire company allows it. ( there are several car hire companies that do allow their cars to be taken to the North). It has nothing to do with S. African passport of your friend. So no problems here.



I wish nice holidays to your friends.



Clarissa

birdman



Joined: 20/09/2010
Posts: 690

Message Posted:
12/04/2011 23:08

Prior to visiting the North it would be good advice to have a detailed plan/map/written direction, of your crossing point as, if you miss a turning and finish up in Nicosia, then you will have great difficulties getting advice from anyone as to which direction to go to the border!

Friends of mine "gave up" after two hours in Nicosia trying to find METAHAN CROSSING POINT and after asking at least 10 people the way, ALL, including three policeman and three taxi drivers, refused to tell them the way.

Zoots


Joined: 05/02/2011
Posts: 669

Message Posted:
13/04/2011 00:08

Best way to Kermia/Metahan checkpoint from the Paphos-Nicosia motorway is next exit left after the football stadium (on your left uphill as you approach the Nicosia suburbs) then follow the signs for "Keryniea". It's basically straight on most of the way, past Orphanides store, the prioson, InterCollege, the old airport/UNPA roundabout and so on until you see the Turkish flags and Pentedaktelos mountains ahead of you. But keep your eyes peeled for the "Keryniea" signs! Locals may not want to go out of their way to help you for understandable reasons.

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
13/04/2011 00:41

Can someone tell my why when crossing the border you get a stamped seperate piece of paper instead of passport stamped, someone on a Turkish forum has just asked me.

ianwfs


Joined: 08/01/2008
Posts: 563

Message Posted:
13/04/2011 09:52

Before Cyprus joined the EU and there were no crossing points, if you wanted to visit the North, it had to be via Ercan, Girne, or Famagusta. This was considered a criminal offence by the GC authorities. If you then visited other countries, particularly South Cyprus and Greece, you could be given a hard time. The situation was similar to people visiting some Arab countries with an Israeli stamp in their passport.



Although this is no longer the case, some people still feel uncomfortable with a TRNC stamp in their passport, so the option of a paper slip remains. (It is only an option. If you don't fill in the paper slip at the immigration desk, your pp will be automatically stamped.)



The other reason is simply that if you do a lot of travelling, your passport fills up with stamps, so using a slip of paper makes your passport last a bit longer.

PompeySmiths


Joined: 06/05/2009
Posts: 26

Message Posted:
13/04/2011 09:53

Woodspeckie, you can have your passport stamped if you ask at border control. It's a personal choice - some people choose not to have their passports full of stamps - some don't want the GCs to know they've neen north