Metehan long queues

[Mollie the cat]

We have just come through the crossing at Metehan from the South, no problem for us however, very long queues going South, at least 30 minutes to get through if not more.

[mrsgee]

We went yesterday, no problems no queues, we were through very quickly. In fact a GC policeman with a sense of humour was joking with us as we waited behind a car at the passport control......kept asking if we were Syrian......ha ha

[Mr Mac]

We went over this morning, clear NC side, and only one car at Greek side ( was about 0845) although lady checked both of our British passports thoroughly, scanning etc and a policeman came out and checked the number plate!! Never had that before! And yes when we came back over at about 1145, sailed through but noticed the big ques nearly to the exchange shop on the other side! If anyone is going to catch a plane from Larnaca or pick someone up perhaps be aware!

[waddo]

Stopped on the way over (GC side) passports taken and told to park "over there" for just a minute. 10 minutes later got fed up and wandered over to find out what was happening, told to go back to the car and wait. Stood on the road edge for another 10 minutes till one policeman came across to ask if I was waiting for anything. Told him I was waiting for our passports and he asked where I was parked, told him "over there" as had been told to by lady in box! Rubbish she never told you to park there, you should be parked here, come with me!! Followed fat policeman across to passport control - office beside passport checking office - and waited outside. He brought out the passports and said OK then went back inside. Walked back to "over there" and got in the car and carried on. "over there" was the parking area to the left of the insurance offices at Metahan. On the way back stopped on the RoC side and asked for passports, told to park just in front of offie, sat and waited, policeman returned and gave back the passports and away we went. No big que going or coming so must have missed them. Waited in the three car que to get back into North, guy pocked his head in my window and said "open up the back please" - opened it up and displayed our shopping from Lidl and he just said, OK Mate, no problems, away you go.

[Mollie the cat]

Friends of ours going South today arrived at the Greek side, the woman in the passport booth was very rude indeed. "park over there and get your insurance before we return your passports" she snorted. Our friends wanted to have their passports returned having been checked, after a further dressing down they eventually got through, not a nice experience.

[waddo]

I have emailed the British High Commission in Nicosia and asked why the passports were retained for an unspecified time and what happened to them in that time period. I expect that "IF" I receive any reply at all it will be to direct me to the passport control office to enquire. Tried that already and treated with discourtesy and no information so will not try again. Not annoyed myself but irritated that there is no information available either written or spoken from the RoC authority. In the meantime, if anyone carrying a copy of my passport is arrested for arms dealing/drug smuggling/wearing a false beard or heaven help us, smoking in a no smoking area - IT WAS NOT ME!!!! But I can't prove it.

[Keithcaley]

I think that is was you, and that all that blurb was just an elaborate attempt at 'scene setting' to support an alibi! Guilty m'Lud!

[waddo]

Look, just because I sell old No 4's cheap on the Saturday market does not make me a gun runner!!! Not only that, the drugs are all available in the chemists in Girne at much less than I sell them for and my beard is not false!!! But I do admit to the smoking thing, but it was not my fault as there was no notice displayed. I ask for time already served to count against any sentence given!

[waddo]

Back on Thread - If I d get any response from the BHC regarding the passport issue, I will post it on here for all to see. Maybe, the BHC do not know it is happening anyway, you never know. However, the que's in both directions could be very quickly sorted if only information was displayed.

[WotNoDeeds]

https://www.gov.uk/government/world/org ... on-nicosia

British High Commission Nicosia

Alexander Pallis Street
PO Box 21978
Nicosia
1587
Cyprus

Email

UKinCyprus@fco.gov.uk

Telephone
+357 22 861100

Fax
+357 22 861125


More people should complain about this treatment.

[WotNoDeeds]

My partner and female friends went over to the South side yesterday to do some shopping and had a very similar experience to Waddo’s. No problem going over early morning. Coming back about lunchtime stopped at the GC side, which has never happened before. Ordered by a very overbearing and bullying GC official precisely where to park. Their passports were demanded and taken into the office and not returned for about ten minutes. Why and what were they doing for that length of time? Are we going to be subjected to this every time we venture over border?

[Deniz1]

Glad I never go there any more I never felt secure.

[waddo]

As promised, the reply from BHC Nicosia came down to this:

"We are aware the RoC have introduced scanning of passports at crossing points for all non-Cypriot nationals and it is standard procedure for all passport/ID cards to be checked on entry/exit to ‘north Cyprus’. Both the processes are outside of our control or influence."

So there you have it, sorry no gun boat will be sailing up the river to support us but that is why we live here. I do find it funny that the RoC naturally assume that no Cypriot national would ever be allied to any terrorist group and therefore are 100% safe and do not require any further checks.

Just another way to keep bums on seats in secure jobs and extend the length of ques at the crossing points - hey ho. All is well in the world.

[ozankoys]

Do they actually have the right to take your passport away from you, everyone else in the world you are seen with your passport & it is scanned in front of you.
It seems very underhand to take it away as you have no idea what they are doing with it.

[13roman58]

If they are holding it for ten minutes or so my guess is that they will be scanning all the residency stamps for future reference,just my opinion.

[stellasstar1]

Isn't strange how we all have different experiences. I went over last Friday with a friend, and going over there were only 3 cars in front of us at the Greek passport window, and they went through quickly, and for our turn she didn't even take the passports, just looked at them through the window and at the insurance and smiled, and waived us on. At the next bit, there wasn't anyone outside, so straight through. Coming back no problem, no one stopped us, but there was a coach load of tourists at the Turkish border and they all had to get off the coach and have their passports checked.

[waddo]

Ozankoys, the response from the BHC says it all - "Both of the processes are outside of our control or influence". To be honest I find that to be a standard statement if you ask the BHC in any country anything at all. I had a similar experiance in the Yemen a lot of years back and remember that statement very well. I also spent many a happy hour in the German Embassy and they did everything they could for me and solved the problem as well - plus they had much better beer!!!!

I find with the RoC that if they can, and think they can get away with it - then they will, no matter what "IT" is. They remind me more of school yard bullies than anything else, maybe one day they will grow up but I doubt it.

[Dalartokat]

This may explain the queue problem in Cyprus Mail


http://cyprus-mail.com/2015/01/20/extra ... ng-points/

[Hector]

They will soon get bored and go back to their usual routine.

[Heaven]

Went last Friday. Long Queues going over. Greek side saw we were British let us through. Coming back was a very different story. Greek officer stops us and tells us where to park. Takes our passports and then tells us where to re park!. Ten minutes later still sitting there and others gone through plus others that had also had there passports taken - gone! So I got out of my car and stood by booth. Got very dirty looks and saw they were only just looking at passports and scanning. Do not agree with passports being taken out of sight by any customs officers and British High Commission should tell them this. Have been to the BHC talks and always think they are a total waste of time but please change my mind by them telling Greek side they should not be allowed to take our passports out of sight! After all the British belong to the EU. Thank goodness for the very polite Turkish Cypriots. Love the people here and living here. Every day is a joy

[Joe Soap]

Further hold up returning to the North. Very arrogant police attitude, again

If this continues much longer, the GC govt may just be persuading me not to bother to support their economy.


Just read that the GCs are carrying out these checks to prevent EU citizens from going to the Middle East conflict. So next time a retired ex-pat is stopped at the border, someone in the GC govt must have recently watched Dads Army

[davidthomas]

Went through Metehan yesterday at 11:00 no problem. Greek side only glanced at our passports and got a nice smile.

Came back at 16:30, wasn't stopped at Greek side and only a few minutes wait at our side.

[Deniz1]

Well said Heaven I dont cross over any more dont feel safe.

[Owl Lady]

The varying stories must mean it depends which side of the bed they got out, or if they had a row with the "other arf" before going to work!

[elizabeth]

If they have to do their job then that's fine, but I do object when they are rude and arrogant with it and have told them so, to be honest they seemed a bit shocked.

[Becker]

Went over around 09-30 today. Hold up going for around 25 mins.vwhen we arrived at window Greekside,she just said British,looked at insurance,waved us through. On the way back. Greek security were stopping RoC registered vehicles,just waved us through.

[bigg1970]

Went through today at about 1.30pm and was a lot busier than usual took about 30+ minutes.....

[PapaBravo]

Went through today (Wednesday). 15 min wait in the queue, then passports and insurance examined briefly by a man at the Greek side and returned with a smile. No problems on the way home.