Crossing to the South with non-EU passport

[luchetto]

Hello dear all! Nice to meet you!
Me and my wife and 2 kids are currently living in South Cyprus (now 9 years) and are thinking of relocating to North Cyprus (actually buying property).
I am an EU citizen and my wife is Japanese and has obtained permanent EU residency a few years back.

Questions:
1) If we relocate to the North, I believe my wife will most definitely lose her EU permanent residency as I know that by EU law if you live outside of the EU for a period of over 2 years you lose your permanent EU residency. Anybody knows if that is correct?
2) Would she have problems crossing the border into the South on a daily basis with her Japanese passport without a EU residency permit (yellow slip)? I know EU passport/ID holders have no problems, but with a non-EU passport?
3) If we go on holiday, I guess it will not be possible to leave from the South because if we re-enter from the South she will now be given a 90-day tourist permit and if we then go back home to the North side, she would be overstaying her 90 days as, technically, she would not be leaving the country and she would then have problems when re-crossing back to the South I guess...

If anyone could advise or at least guide me in the right direction, it would be highly appreciated!
Thank you in advance!!

Luca

[Reyntj]

as an eu citizen she can cross with you and you need to show wedding certificate . She cannot exit European ports though .

That's my experience in that . We live in North cyprus I'm UK citizen my wife Turkish . When uk was in Europe my wife could Cross no problem with me plus wedding certificate now she is not allowed . Hope this helps.

[waddo]

Luca, just to be sure - you are not a British citizen I hope? In other words not a previous EU citizen of the UK but now an EU citizen of Cyprus? It does not pay to be ex EU in the North - lol. But would you also not lose your EU citizenship after 2 years as well by living in the North? Just interested by the way as the current situation is ridiculous with Turkish Cypriots being EU citizens but living in the North so not fulfilling the 2 years in the EU that is required as the North is not in the EU - kindof - lol.

Don't worry, it will be a lot easier when we are all Turkish or American or French or something else, probably Russian is my bet - lol. You need a sense of humour to live here for sure.

[luchetto]

Thank you guys for the info!
ps: yes I am Italian so I do have a EU citizenship...which I luckily cannot lose.
Indeed it's all a very unneeded headache...I really wonder why they love to make it so complicated...

[laptawrinkly]

Hi,

As an EU national, technically you enjoy freedom of movement over the whole of the island. But do check your own countries embassy page for advice.

I think you will experience issues if you locate permanently to the north; your Yellow Slip (MEU1 (initial residency) or MEU3 (permanent residency after 5 years) would be cancelled by the south if they become aware you are no longer living in the south. Your wife as a partner of an EU national (I assume with a MEU2?) would also lose her south residency rights. She would encounter the same issues a Brits entering or exiting the south via one of the airports the 90/in 180 days. You may also experience the same issues a Brits with a north car only getting a TOM (south MOT paper) for a day; remember the south does not recognise any non TC residency papers at all, or non TC's using a TRNC Driving licence. If you swapped your old EU driving licence for a south one, which is a legal requirement under EU law, I'd try to get your old EU one reissued as no longer living 'in the EU'; the TRNC licence does not require you hand you EU on over to get a TRNC one, or at least it didn't). You will also have to under go so many hours daylight and night time driving 'training' with a north driving instructor to get a TRNC driving licence (no test though). Another money revenue generation scheme IMHO.

Now don't shoot the messenger here, but the British High Commission always banged on in their property buying advice section, that the south enacted a law from 2006 (not retroactive), that made it illegal for anyone to buy, sell trade or rent any prosperities in the north - this included all properties including what were called 'British Title'. So having lived in the south if they become aware of you doing so, another issue to consider if you buy.

I would also say the EU national residency process is far easier in the south as you have guaranteed/enshrined rights under EU law, and the MEU1 is relatively easy to obtain. The residency process here guarantees you no rights as a non Turkish Cypriot; read the residency discussions in these forums and you can see many issues being raised; not least if you are both under 60 the required health checks for communicable diseases such as, HIV, Hepatitis, some STDs, etc. Failing any of these tests is almost always automatic deportation within 5 days.

Wish you luck whatever you decide.