Retiring here is easier than any other place in all of Europe. Upon your arrival at Ercan Airport, your Passport will be stamped for a thirty day visit. There are no fees and no Visa requirements. Spend that time looking for your dream villa by the sea.
Obtaining a Residency Permit is handled online and will not be complete when your thirty-day visa runs out. That's OK, there is an Immigration Office at the local police sataion and they will look at your individual case and advise. Many folks even fly beck home during this process. If your’e serious about retirement, your'e interested in obtaining a White Card but that will come later. The purchase of your home is the biggest hurdle to obtaining a Permanent Residency Permit.
Your Drivers Licence is good here for ninety days and most get a hire car for the first ten days or so. Some Insurance Agencies will handle getting your licence for you and the process is simple. At this writing, no test is required for those in possession of license from alomst any country. Due to some recent accidents, there may be changes to the code and in the future you may need to actually appear at the office.
You will not be asked to surrender your current licence when your new one is issued. This is handy when you need to fly back home or if you want to visit another country. If you rent a car in Italy (its a short flight), show them your EU/UK Drivers License.
The President of The TRNC, Ersin Tatar, is a supporter of the ex pat community. In fact, early in his administration he met with members of the The British Residents Society. President Tatar is known to want more retirees and wants to ease their transition. Things like voting in local elections are now on the table for non-citizens.
