General Information
1. Who does military service in the TRNC?
In accordance with the amended TRNC Military Service Law (No:59/2000), each citizen of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the draft age (19-49) is obliged to do his military service.No obligator can exempt a citizen who is in the draft age, unless they have done their military service or unless they are covered by the principles determined by the relevant law. Under extraordinary circumstances, women at the draft age can also be conscripted by the approval of the TRNC assembly.
2. Who is deemed as a citizen according to the TRNC Civil Law?
Those who were born in the TRNC or in a foreign country and whose;
a. Both mother and father are Turkish Cypriot or,
b. Mother is a Turkish Cypriot and father is a foreign national or,
c. Father is a Turkish Cypriot and mother is a foreign national.
3. How does one acquire the TRNC citizenship?
Citizenship is acquired by and at the time birth. It is not necessary to apply for obtain a TRNC ID card to become a citizen.
4. Does anyone who has not met his military service obligation cease to be a citizen of the TRNC or can he be denaturalized?
a. Those who were born and have been living outside of the TRNC permanently until the age of 18 can request to cease their citizenship without meeting their military service obligation by applying to the Ministry of Interior between the ages of 18-21. Those who have not met their military obligation by the age of 21 cannot cease their citizenship.
b. Those who were born outside but have been residing in the TRNC permanently cannot cease their citizenship without meeting their military service obligation.
c. Those who were born in the TRNC cannot cease their citizenship without meeting their military service obligations.
5. What is the military service obligation of TRNC citizens and those who acquired the citizenship of the TRNC subsequently?
a. TRNC citizens are obliged to fulfil their military services in the TRNC.
b. Those who acquired the citizenship of TRNC and who can document that they have met or are exempt from meeting their military service obligation under their previous citizenship or in whose countries there is no obligatory military service are not conscripted in accordance with the provisions of the TRNC Military Law. Those who have not done their military service or cannot document that they have done their military service are made to do their service in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned law.
c. However, those who acquired the citizenship of the TRNC before the draft age (19) lose their right to be reserve officers unless they apply within 1 year following the date that they reached the draft age. Those who acquired it after the draft age, lose their rights unless they apply within 1 year following the date they acquired the citizenship.
d. Nationals of third countries (except the TRNC and the Republic of Turkey) who acquired the citizenship of the TRNC can be exempted from military service obligation upon payment of 2,000 British Pounds.
6. What should those who wish to travel outside of the TRNC while they are still in the period of draft age do?
a. Citizens who have finished or have their military services postponed by the Military Recruitment and Mobilization Office Directorate can exit only by presenting their ID cards to the Police. (There is no need to carry the military status documents with them)
b. Citizens who did not finish their military services and did not postpone their military service by applying to the Military Recruitment and Mobilization Office Directorate are forbidden to go abroad. These citizens have to apply to the Military Recruitment and Mobilization Office Directorate in order to complete their procedures.
7. Who does not do his military service (is exempt)?
a. Those who are mentally or physically not suitable for military service in accordance with the Health Aptitude Regulations of the TRNC Security Forces Command,
b. Those who keep their rights under the special status and are outside the draft period (older than 49) are exempt from doing their military service. The exemption certificate will be obtained upon the request to the Military Recruitment and Mobilization Office Directorate.
c. Those who are TRNC citizens and are older than 49 and did not complete their military services can be exempted from their military obligations if they pay 2000 British Pounds.
d. Those who have completed their military service in another country before 12 December 2014 while holding a TRNC citizenship are exempted from their military obligations.
e. Those who have completed their military service in another country between 12 December 2014 and 28 November 2017 while holding a TRNC citizenship can pay 3000 Pounds to be exempted if they already have a registration at the Military Recruitment and Mobilization Office Directorate, those who do not have a registration are exempted without paying a price.
f. Those citizens who have completed their military service in another country after 28 November 2017 will not be deemed as having completed their obligations within the TRNC Military Law.
8. How to start the medical procedures?
a. From those who are under private status, medical procedures for the ones with disorders spotted on the first medical inspection and the ones who stated their disorders between the first medical inspection and draft date, are started by the Military Recruitment and Mobilization Office Directorate.
b. For reserve officer and paid military service status obligators medical procedures, can only be done by the roll call committee and the date is only set by the Security Forces Command.
c. For those who are given healthy reports by the medical board, have to carry out their medical referring through their military units in any case of health problems.
9. What are the stages for medical procedures?
a. The decisions for obligators who are referred to the medical board are given upon the Health Aptitude Regulations of the Security Forces Command.
b. The obligator who has entered the medical board after the inspections in the concerned hospital, will take the pre-report from the board and present it to the Military Recruitment and Mobilization Office Directorate.
c. The final decision will be announced after the main report is approved by the Security Forces Command.
d. The final report will be conclusive after being approved by the Security Forces Command.
10. How can I reach the Amended Military Law No. 59/2000?
You can download the Amended Military Law No. 59/2000 from the following link. [MILITARY LAW]
