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Relocating to North Cyprus – General Overview

When considering a move to another country there are many things to think about apart from the initial thoughts of ‘am I doing the right thing’? In this article we will assume that you have already decided to relocate to North Cyprus, after having done the appropriate research!

Depending on your reasons for moving to North Cyprus, whether it is to move your whole family for a new start, retiring to enjoy your time in a Mediterranean climate, or whether you wish to find work, we will attempt to offer some tips and advice. 

Firstly, if you come from an EU country and therefore have an EU passport you’re free to enter the country. When you enter you’ll receive an entry stamp in your passport and this allows you to remain in the country for 30 days from that date. Within those 30 days you should begin official registration proceedings to allow the government of North Cyprus to know who you are, that you’re here and to allow you to become a legal resident of Northern Cyprus! Admittedly 30 days is not a long time to complete an application for residency, but a visit to the a local police stations’ Immigration department to extend your stay should not be a problem. Our other articles will attempt to take you through the whole process of relocation and residency for North Cyprus – as best we can, considering that the rules do change every now and again!

If you’re moving to Northern Cyprus lock, stock and barrel and need to relocate your household contents then you will need to consider which company to use to ship your worldly goods. Most offer a door to door or a door to dock service, with most people seeming to prefer the first option for the obvious reason of it being less stressful! However, there are still processes that require your time and effort such as customs paperwork and liaising with the shipping company.  There is now quite a choice of companies which deal specifically with shipping to North Cyprus, and in other articles we will give you more information on some of them and a more in-depth look at the process.

The cost of living here will always be an important factor in your thoughts, and this will obviously vary depending on your lifestyle of course! If you prefer to buy imported, named goods then you will be paying a premium because North Cyprus has to pay high import costs. If on the other hand you shop locally, buying your main essentials at the market, dine out at the non 5 star eateries, then you can make a small income go a long way here without having to budget or restrict your lifestyle to a huge extent.

Considerations about healthcare and/or medical insurance should also be a part of the relocation process, with research done into the local state healthcare system and private facilities. You will be pleased to know that private healthcare is quite affordable in North Cyprus, offering state of the art hospitals and clinics, but you can also purchase medical insurance policies through a number of companies here too, should you feel the need. Please check our articles within our North Cyprus Healthcare section on the various options available to you.

For families who are relocating with small children or teenagers who still require education of some kind, then again, with the influx of foreigners coming to live in North Cyprus, the demand for educational facilities has been met quite sufficiently to enable you to feel confident about getting a good standard of education for your family. More in-depth articles are available in our North Cyprus Education section which detail each level of education available here in North Cyprus.

If you are thinking of relocating to North Cyprus to work or set up your own company, then this is definitely something that you need to look into before you arrive! There are lots of rules and regulations in relation to foreigners setting up their own companies or requiring North Cyprus work permits if being employed by a local company, and this is often a minefield unless you have done your research thoroughly. Foreigners wishing to set up companies here are bound by having to have a Turkish Cypriot majority shareholding partner, and the legalities and expense of the initial set up are lengthy and will require legal and accountancy assistance.

If you are looking to buy a property then again research is vital given the current situation with the legalities of title deeds and the purchase process. You should feel entirely comfortable with your decisions as long as you have taken time to understand and research and spoken to others who have experienced the process.

And finally, you should come and visit the island first for more than a normal two week holiday to make sure your decision to relocate here is the right one! It’s a simple process to find a rental property in North Cyprus for a few months to suit a budget, and this gives you valuable time in deciding on a particular town or area that you feel is right for you. You would be surprised at the amount of people who have come for a holiday and then upped sticks and arrived without doing any further research and who have no idea that it gets cold and rains here in the winter!

Whatever your reason for moving to North Cyprus you will without doubt make a lot of new friends on the island and these will be the best people to assist you with the whole relocation process and make it go as smoothly as possible for you.

Our North Cyprus Relocation section is dedicated to providing information and help with everything to do with relocating to North Cyprus, so please feel free to browse!