In early November, some media outlets in Cyprus, Turkey and Greece reproduced the claim that the United Kingdom made a change in its policy towards Turkish Cypriots, and added the phrase “northern part of Cyprus” to the official visa application web page in addition to “Cyprus.”
Some media outlets questioned whether this was a ‘silent’ or ‘indirect’ recognition of the breakaway state.
CIReN examined this claim based on what was reported versus what actually changed on the visa page , conducted a fact-check and issued its verdict.
The Claim
CIReN has tracked the claim to a short report on Greek Cypriot Media Group SigmaLive and Simerini on 5 November at 11:13 a.m.
The report claimed that the UK government had included “Cyprus (northern part of Cyprus) in the dropdown menu about nationality on its official visa application page. It added that this move “raises questions” as it may suggest that the UK is extending a new status to the breakaway state in the north.
By the afternoon, the report was picked up by a number of individual social media accounts and news websites including the Greek New Post. The report titled “Awkward move by the British government: It listed the “northern part of Cyprus” as a nationality on an official website,” said the move “caused intense irritation both in Nicosia and in Greek diplomatic circles.”
By the next day, 6 November, the claim, reposted and shared mainly by groups supporting the recognition of the north, reached thousands on social media.
Hurriyet, one of the leading newspapers in Turkey, cited the New Post and titled its report “UK’s TRNC move angers Greek Cypriots.”
Ultra nationalist Turkish Cypriot journalist Sabahattin Ismail predicted on his X account that this move may mean that the UK is recognizing the realities on the island and extending ‘Taiwan status’ to the north.
On 7 November, Greek-language Edo Tourkia news website quoted Sabahattin Ismail under the headline: “Turkish analysts see “Taiwan Regime” as a pseudo-state – The addition of “Northern Cyprus” to British visa applications has sparked a firestorm!”
Edo Tourkia added: “There is strong discontent in Nicosia, with reports speaking of ‘indirect recognition’ and ‘dangerous terminology.’ Diplomatic sources report that the Republic of Cyprus is seeking official explanations from London, which only recognizes the Republic of Cyprus.”
A leading Greek Cypriot newspaper Politis, cited Edo Tourkia and republished the claim.
Another leading Turkish newspaper Aksam carried the report with the headline “New visa opening by the UK for the TRNC.”
Turkish Cypriot Bagimsiz reported that a “‘Northern Cyprus’ option was added to the UK’s visa site” and Giynik news website said: “Addition of ‘northern part of Cyprus’ option to UK visa page caused reactions in the Greek Cypriot media.”
Also on 7 November Greek Cypriot AlphaNews said that so far there had been no reaction from the Republic of Cyprus, and included a TV report by Alpha TV stating that the inclusion of ‘northern part of Cyprus’ on the visa page “has caused excitement in Ankara and in the pseudostate,” and claiming this is “food for thought” for analysts “to question whether “this step indicates silent recognition, or paves the way to that end.”
None of the media outlets actually specified when this change on the visa page came into force or how it represented a change in the UK’s policy on Cyprus.
The Facts
Cyprus was divided in 1974, when Turkey’s military took control of the island’s north in response to a Greek military junta regime-backed coup against the Republic of Cyprus government at the time, which aimed at annexing the whole island to Greece.
The Turkish Cypriot third of the island is now under the effective control of Turkey, which has troops stationed there. A breakaway state established in the north in 1983 is only recognized by Turkey. Greek Cypriots control the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus.
The Republic of Cyprus is politically very sensitive to the official use of any terminology in reference to the northern part of Cyprus that may imply recognition of it as a separate state or an upgrading in its status.
In response to CIReN’s questions about the media reports, a spokesperson for the UK High Commission in Cyprus said that “the wording used on GOV.UK, ‘Cyprus (northern part of Cyprus)’, is longstanding and carefully chosen. It ensures advice to the British public is clear and practical while remaining fully consistent with our policy of non-recognition.”
In fact, archived versions of the UK visa page traced by CIReN confirm that the phrase “Cyprus (northern part of Cyprus)” has been in use in the dropdown menu right after ‘Cyprus’ since at least 2014 and is not a new addition.
The Verdict: False
The listing of the “northern part of Cyprus” in the drop-down menu on UK government’s visa application page is not a new opening or step by the UK government with ramifications to the Cyprus problem.
This terminology has been in use on the page since at least 2014. Claims of ‘silent recognition’ or ‘Taiwan status’ based on a new terminology, are in no way substantiated.
As such, the verdict is false.
This project is supported by the European Media and Information Fund (EMIF). The sole responsibility for any content supported by the European Media and Information Fund lies with the authors and it may not necessarily reflect the positions of the EMIF and the Fund Partners, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the European University Institute.