839 people deported from north Cyprus in 2024 and more than 5,000 refused entry, E-Visa in the pipe line

The government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus said it has deported more than 800 people already in 2024 spending approximately 6 million TL for tickets in the process.

This was made known by the TRNC Minister of Internal Affairs Dursun Oğuz on Tuesday during a TV program. 

Oğuz stated that 839 people were deported from the country in 2024 with a lay out of approximately 6 million TL for tickets.

Oğuz stated that 'transit visa' is currently used to enter the country and "We did not allow a total of 5,343 people into the country from July 1, 2023 to May 28, 2024. 

"407 of them are citizens of the Republic of Turkey, and 4,936 of them are citizens of third countries.

Stating that a 'Migration Center' is in the process of being established in order to learn the number of illegal people in the country, the minister said, "We bought our building and made the interior equipment. We sent police and civilian immigrants to Turkey for training, a team came from there; Training was also given here. "It is currently in the software phase... Once all processes are completed, the 'Migration Center' will be used fully actively".

Oğuz stated that transit visas are applied to 47 countries, excluding European countries, and noted that the E-Visa will definitely come into force and how many countries it will be applied to will be determined by the Council of Ministers. 

Oğuz also said that 1700 people were deported from the country in 2023 and “293 of them are citizens of the Republic of Turkey and 1453 are citizens of third countries… We paid a total ticket fee of 19 million 387 thousand TL. "In 2024, we deported 839 people and paid approximately 6 million TL for tickets," he said.

Speaking on the population of Northern Cyprus, Oğuz said that according to the Statistical Institute data, the country's population is 407,000 and "The one who said 800,000 will prove it to me... How did she find this number?" he asked.

Oğuz stated that the authority for the census lies with the Statistical Institute and said, "I do not know what the Statistical Institute will think."