Foreigners with drivers license from abroad can no longer use it after one month

Foreigners with residence, work or student permit residing in the TRNC with driving license from their home country will no longer be able to use the license after a period of one month, meanwhile, tourists, can drive with their own country's driving license.

Different practices regarding the driving licenses of foreigners coming to the country draw attention. While the licenses of people coming from Turkey as “officers” are considered valid, an “exam condition” is imposed on people coming from other countries one month after getting a work or residence permit.

The application called "license conversion" causes chaos, especially in the sense of "vehicle insurance". Some businesses provide car insurance to foreigners, while others do not.

While the Association of Rental Car Operators and the Association of Insurance and Reinsurance Companies find the "license conversion" application beneficial in terms of traffic and road safety, they also want the bureaucracy to be facilitated and the necessary inspections to be made.

Mustafa Yeşil, Director of Traffic Department, stated that the transformation was carried out within the scope of a special protocol with Turkey, and said, “The driving licenses of foreigners belonging to their own country are accepted as much as they have an immigration permit.”

The "double standard" for driving licenses is remarkable! For example, those coming from England, where traffic flows from the right, such as Cyprus, are required to take an exam one month later, while the driver's licenses of those coming from Turkey are accepted despite the reverse traffic flow.

The driving license file, which is among the “decisions regarding the driving licenses of visitors” of the General Directorate of Police, needs a much more comprehensive and scientific regulation.

Reinsurance Companies Association President Raif Çukurovalı said, “People coming from abroad should comply with the laws and rules of the road and be informed. For this reason, I think it is right for foreigners to take an exam to convert their driving licenses.”

The Insurance and Reinsurance Companies Union official, who stated that both an exam and an accelerated education for foreigners are a must, also drew attention to the importance of auditing.

Çukurovalı continued as follows: “According to our law, Turkish nationals who come to the country on duty can use their own driver's license. Foreign nationals take the driver's license test. This practice is correct in terms of road traffic safety. Control is important here. For example, in rental vehicles, there are people who use the vehicle other than the person who is legally renting the vehicle. These people are considered unlicensed. People coming from abroad should comply with the laws and road rules of this place and be informed. It is a correct practice, but some adjustments are needed.”

Pointing out that they can only question the title and identity card while insuring or selling a vehicle, Çukurovalı emphasized that the driver's license should also be questioned.

Cukurovali said:

“When we look at the damage rates, we see that foreign nationals are mostly concentrated. We often encounter foreign students who have a car registered in their name and do not have a driver's license. When insuring and buying a car, by law we can only question the voucher and ID. We asked for these rules to be a little stricter, we wanted to question the driver's license, but due to some difficulties, we could not do it.”

Stating that citizens who are victims of accidents caused by foreign nationals, incompetent and uninsured people benefit from the 'Insurance Guarantee Fund', Çukurovalı also stated that although it is not known, the citizens are not victims thanks to this fund.

Noting that they do not rent a car to anyone who does not have a TRNC driving license, except for tourists, Chairman of the Association of Rental Car Operators Yakup Serdaroğlu said, "Foreigners other than tourists are considered unlicensed in the eyes of the police and insurance does not cover them."

Serdaroğlu continued his words as follows:

“For foreign nationals who are on the island as a student or on a work permit, it is obligatory to obtain a TRNC driver's license one month later. Even if these people enter and exit abroad after obtaining a student and work permit, they cannot drive again for a month. We do not rent a car to anyone who does not have a TRNC driving license, except for tourists. We look at the duration of the tourist visa and if it is still up to date we accept the driver's license of his home country. If the student or residence permit is on the island, we definitely request a TRNC driver's license. Otherwise, we do not rent a car, because insurance does not cover it, it is considered unlicensed in the eyes of the police. Turkish citizens can get a TRNC driver's license without the need for an exam. But those coming from third countries are subjected to a certain test. However, within this framework, they get the TRNC license.”

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