Cyprus' path towards joining the Schengen area is often discussed in terms of the benefits it could bring to the Republic of Cyprus and its citizens. On the other side of the Green Line, however, the process is generating uncertainty and concern among groups of Turkish Cypriots whose legal and administrative status has remained unresolved for years.
The issue is particularly significant for children of mixed marriages, with one Turkish Cypriot and one Turkish parent, many of whom have not been granted Republic of Cyprus citizenship. Some hold Republic of Cyprus birth certificates or are registered in the civil registry but do not possess Cypriot identity cards or passports. Others use documents issued by the unrecognised administration in the north to cross checkpoints.
Their concerns focus on the future operation of crossing points and their ability to travel within European Union countries.
Representatives of affected groups argue that the authorities have yet to present a clear and publicly accessible plan. They are calling for dialogue with the government, warning that the absence of specific arrangements could create serious problems for everyday movement, family life and Turkish Cypriots' access to the rest of Europe.
'The process lacks transparency'
Sude Dogan, a member of the Karma Evlilik Sorunu Çözüm Hareketi (Movement for the Resolution of Problems Arising from Mixed Marriages), which advocates for the rights of children of mixed marriages, described the issue as critical and largely overlooked during Cyprus' Schengen accession process.
"While we hope sensible arrangements will be adopted to ensure that children of mixed marriages can continue to cross smoothly, the reality is that the process lacks transparency. There are pressing questions to which the Foreign Ministry and the competent authorities have yet to provide answers," she said.
According to Dogan, one of the key issues concerns the unrecognised documents currently used by many children of mixed marriages.
"Not all children of mixed marriages possess recognised citizenship. Many hold only 'TRNC identity cards' and currently rely on those documents to cross checkpoints. How exactly will Schengen accession affect their ability to move around?"
She also raised questions about the legal framework that would apply after accession if such individuals continue to be allowed to use non-recognised documents at crossing points.
"If these individuals continue to be allowed to cross using 'TRNC' identity cards, a serious legal and jurisdictional paradox arises. Movement within the Schengen area means there are no systematic passport controls at internal borders. Would that mean these individuals could travel throughout the Schengen area using non-recognised identification documents?"
Dogan argued that the issue should not be treated as an unsolvable border-security dilemma.
"The reality is that the overwhelming majority of these children of mixed marriages already hold Republic of Cyprus birth certificates or are entitled to obtain them. They are already registered in the system. The authorities have the digital and administrative infrastructure to resolve the issue immediately without violating Schengen rules and without creating a hard border."
She suggested that the government could issue affected individuals with an EU-style Family Member Residence Card of a Union Citizen under existing European legal provisions.
Alternatively, she proposed the creation of a special arrangement based on the same legal framework, which could be called a Green Line Family Pass, allowing uninterrupted movement while protecting family unity.
As another option, she suggested that the Interior Ministry issue a special biometric travel document or laissez-passer linked directly to the Republic of Cyprus identification numbers that already appear on their birth certificates.
"The issue requires urgent dialogue with the Foreign Ministry. So far, my direct questions to the authorities have been met with complete silence. We have practical and legally workable solutions ready to be implemented."
Dogan also called on the media to help facilitate an official meeting with the Foreign Ministry.
"We are ready to come to the table and help close this gap in Cyprus' Schengen accession process. All we need is for the ministry to open the door to dialogue."
Fifteen Years Without Citizenship
Hasan Paralı, a Turkish Cypriot born to one Turkish and one Turkish Cypriot parent, described his own experience of trying to obtain Republic of Cyprus citizenship.
"As a Turkish Cypriot with one Turkish and one Turkish Cypriot parent, I have not been granted Republic of Cyprus citizenship despite almost 15 years of effort," he said.
Without a Cypriot passport, travelling to Europe requires him to apply for a Schengen visa every time through an embassy or a private service provider authorised by the embassy of the destination country.
According to Paralı, the first obstacle is the lack of clear information about where applications should be submitted.
"The first major problem I encountered was the lack of clear information online or elsewhere about where exactly a person should submit an application."
An even greater challenge, he said, is securing an appointment, without which the visa application process cannot begin.
"After identifying the authority responsible for your application comes the second and, in my view, biggest problem: finding an available appointment so that you can even submit a visa application."
Paralı said that in his own case he used a private company, which handled the process efficiently.
However, if appointments are unavailable for the country that is the traveller's final destination, applicants may have to seek a visa through another Schengen country and alter their travel plans entirely.
"If you cannot find an appointment for the country that is your final destination, you may have to travel via a different country and obtain your visa through that country. The visa must allow multiple entries within the Schengen area."
According to Paralı, this results in additional expenses, more bookings and a significantly more complex process for a journey that would be straightforward for a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus.
