Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Hi All
I realise that becoming a resident in TRNC would entail having to get a local driving license in order to drive here, but as a frequent visitor (home owner) for no longer than 90 days at a time (and therefore no residency required) with 2 or 3 trips here in a year, what would be the criteria on driving with my UK license, are there restrictions as to the time spent in Country whereby a TRNC driving license would be necessary? I do not own a car in TRNC but usually hire one when I am here.
Thanks in advance.
Aitchy

You are correct when you say you can use your EU license for 90 days at a time, if you leave the country and re-enter then it is ok for another 90 days, you need a residency to get a TRNC licence so this would count you out anyway.

We have been here for over 6 years, never been granted any form of 'residency' status, only the annual 'visitor' stamp in our passports, but we all have TRNC Driving Licences (DL), so I think Mr A is mistaken. We were advised that if you live here, a TRNC DL is required, by law, after 3 months. I would suggest a visit to the TRNC Government Vehicle Licencing Office for a definitive ruling, rather than opinion.

Well ts you may be lucky an exception or something I dont know but see here http://www.brstrnc.com/index.php/lifest ... rth-cyprus
This has always been understood as the "norm" here but......

Well ts you may be lucky an exception or something I dont know but see here http://www.brstrnc.com/index.php/lifest ... rth-cyprus
This has always been understood as the "norm" here but......

MrA.
Would you trust the information given on the BRS web site is fact or hear say??

No but this has always been "understood as the norm" it is not to say it always happens!, after all this is North Cyprus!

I was stopped by a police car docs check 4 months into my first year, driving on a UK licence. The nice policeman asked me how long I was staying as the car was in my name, then smiled and said "If more than 3 months, need a Cypriot licence", and let me go on. I got one the next week.

Stopped many years ago by police here whilst driving under my UK license this is what the police sergeant told me,after 90 days you must get a TRNC license,if you are driving a TRNC registered car whilst only having a UK license your TRNC car insurance is void and you are breaking the law.
This put the fear of god in me and I aquired the necessary license that same month.If in doubt check with the proper authorities.

Leither

renewed our licences just before xmas. mine was fine but my wife's residency had expired wnd we were waiting for it all to go through. They refused to renew her licence until she had a valid residents stamp iin her passport

Where are people getting 'resident' passport status from and how long does it last for? All we ever get is an annual 'visitor' stamped entry. What is the difference?

The confusion seems to spring from the word residency. You only ever get temporary visitor stamped in your passport regardless of how long you have lived here. To become a "resident" you have to apply for citizenship which at the moment you cant really do. Temp visa stamp enables you to get a license max three years, and makes your insurance valid.

to answer to the original question.

if you own a car here you need a TRNC driving licence, or any insurance is invalid.

Thanks to All for the replies, what Butterfly says would make sense to me because if you own a car then you are obviously a longer term visitor than the norm and also have your own insurance, however I do not own a car (although I do own a house) but hire one when I visit, I would expect the car hire insurance to be valid throughout the hire period! it all depends on the law which is pretty fickle at the best of times, I probably need to check with the authorities somewhere, any ideas?

Deniz1 wrote:The confusion seems to spring from the word residency. You only ever get temporary visitor stamped in your passport regardless of how long you have lived here. To become a "resident" you have to apply for citizenship which at the moment you cant really do. Temp visa stamp enables you to get a license max three years, and makes your insurance valid.

There's permanent residency and citizenship,,, they are not quite the same as one confers the right to vote etc. and the other merely the right to permanently reside - it's a moot point at the moment as we do not seem to be able to apply for either - which is a real shame and a blot on the human rights copy-book of the TRNC govt. as far as I am concerned because it smacks of racial discrimination of the worst kind..... It's apartheid if only Cypriots are respected!

if you hire a car, you are covered on their insurance, you can drive on a UK/EU licence.

butterfly wrote:if you hire a car, you are covered on their insurance, you can drive on a UK/EU licence.

And if you stay over 90 days (but to date I have never heard of anyone getting more than a 90 day stamp) I assume its the car hire problem!

From many years ago I remember reading the Police are pretty lenient about driving on UK licence, but insurance companies have been known to use it as a get of paying up excuse, however you are using a hire car and I would have said it is their duty to check you are legally covered to drive their vehicle, hence no problem, carry on, but not for longer then 90 days, or it may become your problem!

The original question was perfectly answered by the second post I think.