Citizenship ambiguity in unrecognized states :|the case of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Abstract

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (the TRNC) has received a significant number of Turkish migrants after Turkey’s military intervention to Cyprus in 1974. However, academic research, so far, is unable to explain why some Turkish migrants try to acquire the citizenship of the TRNC, and with what kind of experiences these migrants encounter during citizenship application. The thesis seeks to fill this academic void by explaining the citizenship trajectory of Turkish migrants in northern Cyprus. Despite being an unrecognized state at the international level, the thesis argues that the citizenship status of the TRNC means a lot to Turkish migrants with the privileges and rights it offers at the domestic level. In addition, contrary to the widespread belief, Turkish migrants’ access to TRNC citizenship is not taken for granted. The citizenship regime of the TRNC is an ambiguous legal procedure in which Turkish Cypriot authorities employ different citizenship acquisition methods in order to delay and hinder the citizenship acquisition of some people while prioritizing others’ access to citizenship. The thesis will unpack the citizenship acquisition process in northern Cyprus by explaining the legal citizenship regime as well as elaborating on the experiences of Turkish migrants on the island.