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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. Embassy
May 28, 2004
U.S. Embassy Announces Revised Visa Policy for Turkish Cypriots
In an effort to make travel from Cyprus to the United States more convenient for Turkish Cypriots, holders of “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)” passports are now eligible for consideration of a visa valid for up to two years. Moreover, eligible Turkish Cypriot applicants will in most cases receive multiple entry visas. Previously, applicants holding “TRNC” passports received a visa valid for a maximum period of six months, which was good for only two entries into the United States.
This change in policy will especially benefit students from the “TRNC”. Students often travel between Cyprus and the USA several times while they are pursuing their studies. Increases in visa validity and the multiple entry feature will also give students more flexibility when traveling to regional destinations from the U.S., such as Mexico and Canada, thereby increasing their cultural and educational opportunities.
The United States Embassy emphasizes the importance for all applicants of applying for their visas well in advance of their anticipated travel date to allow for the necessary processing time. This advice is even more important in the light of the beneficial change in visa policy. As always, the amount of time needed to issue a visa varies, depending on the individual circumstances of the applicant.
This new policy goes into effect immediately. Any questions should be directed to the Consular Section of the Embassy via e-mail at consularnicosia@state.gov.
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