Exemption from quarantine and PCR test fees

[Soner]

Exemption from quarantine and PCR test fees for students, TRNC citizens, work and residence permit holders

The Council of Ministers have decided on an exemption from quarantine and PCR test fees for TRNC citizens, those who have work and residence permits and students coming to the country.

The quarantine requirement introduced on 7th September, as a result of the additional measures taken against Covid-19 and the decision that everyone who will enter quarantine will pay the fee themselves, was changed with the decision dated 24th September, and published in the Official Gazette.

According to the new application, the quarantine and PCR test fees of those who are TRNC citizens, those who have a work permit, those who have a residence permit, and students who come to the country will be covered by the state. Those who fall outside of these categories will pay the quarantine and PCR test fees themselves.

In accordance with this decision, it has also been decided that the fees already paid by those who are now exempt from the fee since 7th September, will be refunded to them upon their request.

[13roman58]

Posted 25th September.
Still no clarification of 'residency ' verses 'Visitor '

[laptatony]

Or residency Vs temporary residency

[Keithcaley]

For those of you who steadfastly refuse to 'Do Facebook' ), this is copied from a post by the Expats Consultancy service - on Facebook! -


Ex Pats Consultancy Service

...posted 8 hrs ago as of 17:45 28/09/2020

Good morning to you all. We hope you have had an excellent weekend.
We have received some messages saying that those with temporary residence permits have not been charged for their hotel quarantine or PCR test.
We therefore assume that this will continue. We will keep you all updated if there are any changes.

[frontalman]

Absolutely brilliant. If only I could get out, I could get back in for free, whoopee!!!

[EnjoyingTheSun]

Absolutely brilliant. If only I could get out, I could get back in for free, whoopee!!!

Open up Harry, dig around the clock.

[frontalman]

Sorry old chap, I don't quite get your banter, bandits at ten o'clock!

[Pamuklu Blue]

hi all, does anyone know if an exemption applies to a person only staying here for 72 hours? Or is this just for official business? My wife is having to fly in to sign a document for our PTP. Cheers

[Keithcaley]

hi all, does anyone know if an exemption applies to a person only staying here for 72 hours? Or is this just for official business? My wife is having to fly in to sign a document for our PTP. Cheers

This is just my take on the information that you have given us: -

Looking at it logically, your wife won't be allowed to go out in Public - she will go straight to quarantine, and will not be allowed to meet anyone until after the end of her 7 day quarantine and second negative test result.

As the document presumably needs to be witnessed and notarised, she won't be able to do that until after she has been released from quarantine.

Unless she has a valid residency permit or is a TRNC citizen, then she will have to pay for the quarantine and the tests.

She's going to be here for longer than 72 hours!

Have you considered getting the documents DHL'd over, signed and notarised in the UK and validated at the TRNC Office in London? it's a lot of messing about, but still easier, cheaper and quicker than coming here to do it!

[Pamuklu Blue]

Thanks for your reply Keith. I did read on a BRS update this information;

It is an exceptionally low possibility for someone who has taken a PCR test on two
separate occasions to test positive in a 3-day period and infect others with the disease.
Thus, travellers entering to TRNC from Category B countries with 2 Negative PCR
results are exempted from the quarantine procedures, given that they stay in TRNC
less than 72 hours (Hour 72 is included). Again, people going to work from TRNC
to Turkey, who complete their work in Turkey within 72 hours, are exempted from
quarantine provided that they take 2 PCR tests with a negative result, 5 days before
and after their travel.

The problem with doing the stuff in London is that I'm running out of time. I need the PTP to get my residency by 23rd October. I started the process 7 weeks ago and each time I go to the Immovable Property office in Lefkosa, they tell me I need something else.

[Pamuklu Blue]

If my wife does end up flying here, will she be able to fly to Larnaca and come North through Beyarmudu crossing then fly back from Ercan?

[Keithcaley]

If she does that, which is feasible, then she may never be allowed - by the GC's - to land at Larnaca again, as she will be counted as 'still being in ROC', and her Visitor Visa for the South will have expired, so she will be an illegal immigrant

[Pamuklu Blue]

That sounds about right. But I heard they aren't allowing ex pats back from North to South.
In any case, yesterday, I went to Iskele Police station's immigration dept and told them of my problem. They said I shouldn't need power of attorney as all our documentation has my wife's signature on it, but, if the immovable property unit in Lefkosa still refuses to do the deed, they told me to get a stamped explanatory letter from them and bring it back to Iskele. I went to Lefkosa this morning, the ladies in the office weren't having any of it "the police don't know what they're talking about" kinda thing but they did write a note for me, I took it to the police in Iskele and the guy said, "oh yes, you need a different form". He went and got one and then processed my application online. Really really happy with that. I've just got to find someone with a Turkish debit card to pay my insurance online now! It's been a pretty stressful couple of weeks but I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks for your input Keith. Much appreciated.

[Keithcaley]

If you call in to Turk Bank, they will provide you with a pre-paid debit card for a small fee, (30TL) plus however much money you want it to be credited with.

You don't have to be a Turk Bank customer.

Ask them to enable on-line transactions for the card, and it will be ready to use on-line the next day.

More details here

Re. your remark

...I heard they aren't allowing ex pats back from North to South.

I wasn't talking about travelling North to South, what I meant was that if she travels to Cyprus via Larnaca and exits via Ercan, she may not, in the future, be allowed to land at Larnaca again - although I don't have a Crystal Ball