Visa Procedure in North Cyprus

Until recently, students from various countries, including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and many others, only needed an "OK to board" to travel to Northern Cyprus for education. However, starting from August 15th, 2023, the Turkish government has enforced new regulations. Now, international students travelling to Northern Cyprus for education are required to apply for a double transit visa at the Turkish embassy in their respective countries. It is important to note that this double transit visa requirement was previously in place but was suspended due to COVID-19. The double transit visa is only required for newly registered international students. Returning students, who left Northern Cyprus for holidays with a valid Muhajarat or residence permit, do not need to apply for a double transit visa. However, it is important to confirm with your local Turkish embassy or Turkish Airlines.

Which countries require a double transit visa ?

There are 57 countries whose nationals need to apply for a double transit visa. The list of these countries can be found below. If your country is not listed, it means that you do not need to apply for a double transit visa and you only need an "ok to board".

1 . Afghanistan

2 . Åland Islands

3 . Albania

4 . Algeria

5 . American Samoa

6 . Andorra

7 . Angola

8 . Anguilla

9 . Antarctica

10 . Antigua and Barbuda

11 . Argentina

12 . Armenia

13 . Aruba

14 . Australia

15 . Austria

16 . Azerbaijan

17 . Bahamas

18 . Bahrain

19 . Bangladesh

20 . Barbados

21 . Belarus

22 . Belgium

23 . Belize

24 . Benin

25 . Bermuda

26 . Bhutan

27 . Bolivia, Plurinational State of

28 . Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

29 . Bosnia and Herzegovina

30 . Botswana

31 . Bouvet Island

32 . Brazil

33 . British Indian Ocean Territory

34 . Brunei Darussalam

35 . Bulgaria

36 . Burkina Faso

37 . Burundi

38 . Cambodia

39 . Cameroon

40 . Canada

41 . Cape Verde

42 . Cayman Islands

43 . Central African Republic

44 . Chad

45 . Chile

46 . China

47 . Christmas Island

48 . Cocos (Keeling) Islands

49 . Colombia

50 . Comoros

51 . Congo

52 . Congo, the Democratic Republic of the

53 . Cook Islands

54 . Costa Rica

55 . Côte d'Ivoire

56 . Croatia

57 . Cuba

58 . Curaçao

59 . Cyprus

60 . Czech Republic

61 . Denmark

62 . Djibouti

63 . Dominica

64 . Dominican Republic

65 . Ecuador

66 . Egypt

67 . El Salvador

68 . Equatorial Guinea

69 . Eritrea

70 . Estonia

71 . Ethiopia

72 . Falkland Islands (Malvinas)

73 . Faroe Islands

74 . Fiji

75 . Finland

76 . France

77 . French Guiana

78 . French Polynesia

79 . French Southern Territories

80 . Gabon

81 . Gambia

82 . Georgia

83 . Germany

84 . Ghana

85 . Gibraltar

86 . Greece

87 . Greenland

88 . Grenada

89 . Guadeloupe

90 . Guam

91 . Guatemala

92 . Guernsey

93 . Guinea

94 . Guinea-Bissau

95 . Guyana

96 . Haiti

97 . Heard Island and McDonald Mcdonald Islands

98 . Holy See (Vatican City State)

99 . Honduras

100 . Hong Kong

101 . Hungary

102 . Iceland

103 . India

104 . Indonesia

105 . Iran, Islamic Republic of

106 . Iraq

107 . Ireland

108 . Isle of Man

109 . Israel

110 . Italy

111 . Jamaica

112 . Japan

113 . Jersey

114 . Jordan

115 . Kazakhstan

116 . Kenya

117 . Kiribati

118 . Korea, Democratic People's Republic of

119 . Korea, Republic of

120 . Kuwait

121 . Kyrgyzstan

122 . Lao People's Democratic Republic

123 . Latvia

124 . Lebanon

125 . Lesotho

126 . Liberia

127 . Libya

128 . Liechtenstein

129 . Lithuania

130 . Luxembourg

131 . Macao

132 . Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of

133 . Madagascar

134 . Malawi

135 . Malaysia

136 . Maldives

137 . Mali

138 . Malta

139 . Marshall Islands

140 . Martinique

141 . Mauritania

142 . Mauritius

143 . Mayotte

144 . Mexico

145 . Micronesia, Federated States of

146 . Moldova, Republic of

147 . Monaco

148 . Mongolia

149 . Montenegro

150 . Montserrat

151 . Morocco

152 . Mozambique

153 . Myanmar

154 . Namibia

155 . Nauru

156 . Nepal

157 . Netherlands

158 . New Caledonia

159 . New Zealand

160 . Nicaragua

161 . Niger

162 . Nigeria

163 . Niue

164 . Norfolk Island

165 . Northern Mariana Islands

166 . Norway

167 . Oman

168 . Pakistan

169 . Palau

170 . Palestine, State of

171 . Panama

172 . Papua New Guinea

173 . Paraguay

174 . Peru

175 . Philippines

176 . Pitcairn

177 . Poland

178 . Portugal

179 . Puerto Rico

180 . Qatar

181 . Réunion

182 . Romania

183 . Russian Federation

184 . Rwanda

185 . Saint Barthélemy

186 . Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

187 . Saint Kitts and Nevis

188 . Saint Lucia

189 . Saint Martin (French part)

190 . Saint Pierre and Miquelon

191 . Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

192 . Samoa

193 . San Marino

194 . Sao Tome and Principe

195 . Saudi Arabia

196 . Senegal

197 . Serbia

198 . Seychelles

199 . Sierra Leone

200 . Singapore

201 . Sint Maarten (Dutch part)

202 . Slovakia

203 . Slovenia

204 . Solomon Islands

205 . Somalia

206 . South Africa

207 . South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

208 . South Sudan

209 . Spain

210 . Sri Lanka

211 . Sudan

212 . Suriname

213 . Svalbard and Jan Mayen

214 . Swaziland

215 . Sweden

216 . Switzerland

217 . Syrian Arab Republic

218 . Taiwan

219 . Tajikistan

220 . Tanzania, United Republic of

221 . Thailand

222 . Timor-Leste

223 . Togo

224 . Tokelau

225 . Tonga

226 . Trinidad and Tobago

227 . Tunisia

228 . Turkey

229 . Turkmenistan

230 . Turks and Caicos Islands

231 . Tuvalu

232 . Uganda

233 . Ukraine

234 . United Arab Emirates

235 . United Kingdom

236 . United States

237 . United States Minor Outlying Islands

238 . Uruguay

239 . Uzbekistan

240 . Vanuatu

241 . Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of

242 . Viet Nam

243 . Virgin Islands, British

244 . Virgin Islands, U.S.

245 . Wallis and Futuna

246 . Western Sahara

247 . Yemen

248 . Zambia

249 . Zimbabwe

What is the processing time and when to apply ?

The processing time for the double transit visa varies depending on the country of application. Recent student experiences and information from visa application centers indicate that the processing time can range from 2 days up to 3 weeks. In countries like Nigeria, it can take a minimum of 7 days. Therefore, it is important to apply for the double transit visa well in advance, as soon as you receive your final acceptance letter from the university. Phoenix travel offers a free application service to all universities in Northern Cyprus, and admission takes no more than 72 hours. The admission process is simple and you can apply here. An admission guide video is also available and can be accessed here.

The most important factor affecting the duration of the double transit visa is the university sending a confirmation email to the embassy from which you are applying. The earlier the confirmation email is sent, the better. Students who apply using Phoenix travel do not need to worry, as we have already requested for your details to be sent to different embassies and consulates.

Double Transit visa requirements

Foreign nationals from the countries listed above need to prepare the following documents to apply for a double transit visa. It is important to note that these are general documents. However, each country may require specific documents. If you want to know which documents are required for your country, please do not hesitate to comment and we will assist you.

1. Application form (This will be given at the submission center)
2. International Passport (Must be Valid for at least six months from the date of application)
3. 2 biometric photos (5*5)
4. Bank statement (at least last 6 months)
5. Flight booking or reservation (at least 3 weeks from the date of submission)
6. Conditional and acceptance letter (sent by the university)
7. Payment receipt of your university instutition (Sent by the university)
8. Proof of accommodation ( Ir-phoenix travel can assist with accommodation On-campus or Off-campus)
9. Notorized sponsorship letter with the copy of sponsor's ID Card
10. Valid birth certificate
11. Student visa application fee (visa fee are non refundable)
12. Letter of Motivation
13. Consent letter for minors
14. Paid travel insurance
15. Valid criminal record
16. High school diploma original and copy (Both must be authenticated by an authorized government body.)
17. Bachelor degree diploma and transcript for master students (must be authenticated by an authorized government body)
18. Any other relevant documents if any

Cost of the double transit visa

The cost of a double transit visa from the Turkish embassy is $60. However, in some countries like Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and others, students need to submit their documents to a third-party agency accredited by the Turkish authorities. These agencies charge additional service fees on top of the $60 processing fee requested by the Turkish authorities. Therefore, the visa processing fees vary based on the country you are applying from. If you need to know the specific amount, please contact us at hello@applywithphoenix.com