Will I have any problems visiting Greece with a North Cyprus stamp in my passport? — Lesley Nicholas, Poole
No. First, the background. Following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, the island was divided. The mainly Greek-speaking majority in the south remained as the internationally-recognised Republic of Cyprus. The northern portion was annexed as the self-styled “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” or TRNC, recognised by no country other than Turkey.
The island is still divided by the “Green Line” that runs through the capital, Nicosia. This frontier is much more porous than of old: you can take rental cars across, over a range of road crossings. But even though you can cross the frontier at will, the northern airport at Ercan and the port of Kyrenia are still regarded as illegal points of entry. Anyone with a stamp showing they arrived on the island at either gateway risks a fine.
But, says the Foreign Office, the current policy is not to do so: “Cyprus immigration authorities have confirmed that EU passport holders with a ‘TRNC’ stamp in their passport will not experience difficulties when entering the Republic of Cyprus.”
At the height of tensions over the divided island, travellers to Greece were warned that they might be refused entry if there was evidence of having travelled to the north of Cyprus. I have not been able to find either the source of the warning, or evidence that any traveller was ever penalised. Some in the travel industry believe the assertion was simply aimed at damaging tourism to the unofficial TRNC. Whatever the source of the story, there is no risk you will be turned away from Greece with a North Cyprus stamp in your passport.
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