17,000 Russians Seek Consular Services in Northern Nicosia

Approximately 17,000 Russians have visited the Russian Federation's consular office in Northern Nicosia to access various services. The most common requests include notary services, passport applications, and marriage certificates.

In an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda, the Russian Ambassador to Cyprus, Murat Zyazikov, shared insights into the growing demand for consular services. He emphasized the strong patriotic sentiment of the Russian diaspora in Northern Cyprus towards Russia.

"Over 50,000 Russian passport holders reside in Northern Cyprus, either permanently or temporarily. What stands out is that the vast majority of them are deeply patriotic towards our country. In the past 17 months, we’ve helped 17,000 of our compatriots with various consular services," Zyazikov said.

The Russian Embassy began offering consular services on the northern part of the island in mid-August 2023. As of August 14, 2023, the Consular Section moved its operations from the buffer zone to the center of Nicosia, making it more convenient for Russian citizens in Northern Cyprus to access services without crossing into the Republic of Cyprus.

It was previously reported that in the first year of operation, the Consular Section in Northern Nicosia served 10,000 Russian nationals.