Cyprus has changed its visa rules for Russian citizens, the press service of Rostourism reported, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Since December 1, 2017, the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus have been refusing to issue entry visas to Russian citizens who are planning to visit the territory of the so-called “Turkish The Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is a self-proclaimed state. Previously, experts also advised against indicating Northern Cyprus as the purpose of travel when applying for a visa.
At the same time, visiting the "forbidden territory" with a Cypriot visa is possible without any problems. To do so, you must arrive on the island through Larnaca and Paphos airports and then cross the border at one of the border crossing points. If you entered the island through Ercan Airport, the only airport in the TRNC, you will not be allowed to enter the southern part of Cyprus.
You'll have to pay a fine, and you won't be able to get a Cypriot visa in the future. Interestingly, direct flights to Ercan are only available from Turkey and only on Turkish airlines.
Tour operators note that there has never been, and never will be, an organized flow of Russian tourists to Northern Cyprus. However, tourists often take day trips to the northern part of the island, where historical monuments are concentrated, and the natural environment is significantly different from the south.
You can apply for a visa to Cyprus online at the Cyprus Embassy's website. The visa is issued for a single entry and is valid for 90 days.
Source: news.turizm.ru
