Naturalized TRNC citizens
From Freepedia
Naturalized TRNC Citizens are persons granted TRNC Citizenship by the Government of the self-declared and internationally unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
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Naturalization Policy
It has been the policy of the TRNC to encourage (non-Greek) immigration to Northern Cyprus. This was decided upon shortly after the UDI in order to increase their numbers vis-a-vis the population of the Greek-Cypriot controlled South Cyprus (the Republic of Cyprus). Most of the immigrants come from the Anatolia region of Turkey, though a few others from the United Kingdom do come to live in the TRNC in order to take advantage of property sales. No immigration is permitted however that would threaten the demographic status of the Turkish ethnic majority.
Republic of Cyprus viewpoint
The Government of the Republic of Cyprus views the TRNC immigration policy as a means to upset the island's demographics, and as a theft of Greek-Cypriot owned property. They therefore officially regard any naturalized TRNC citizens as 'illegal settlers', who would be subject to deportation in the event of Cypriot reunification. With this in mind, the Republic of Cyprus refuses to allow any naturalized TRNC citizen to visit the Republic of Cyprus, and this extends to tourists who arrive in Cyprus on the TRNC side as they regard any TRNC seaport or airport as 'an unlawful port of entry'.
Practical difficulties
As the TRNC passport is not recognized by any government outside of Turkey, Azerbaijan, United Kingdom, United States and Switzerland (only TRNC passports with British visas), naturalized TRNC citizens have to resort to other nations' passports in order to travel internationally. Unlike Turkish Cypriots born in Cyprus with parents who can trace their Cypriot residence before the partition, none of the naturalized TRNC citizens are eligible for a Republic of Cyprus passport.
Also, since several settlers have bought property in the TRNC, they are at risk of losing their investments to Greek Cypriots who lost their properties in the north in 1974.
Recent policy changes
In 2005, the unrestricted immigration policy for Turkish migrants was tightened up, following an increase in both crime and unemployment. In the wake of this new policy, a number of Turkish migrants have been deported and immigration procedures made more cumbersome so that the TRNC can better screen migrant applicants. Turkey itself regards the TRNC policy change as a heavy-handed reaction, thus causing the first major area of disageement between the TRNC and Turkey.
