How to Properly Send Letters and Parcels to Northern Cyprus

Complete Guide to Addressing, Postal Codes, and Delivery Features

North Cyprus is a territory with a special status. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is recognized only by Turkey, so international mail is sent through Turkey rather than directly.

To ensure your letter or package reaches the recipient, it is important to write the address correctly and consider a few key details. Let’s go through all the nuances in detail.

• Correct way to write an address
• Including a phone number

Why does delivery go through Mersin?

Since North Cyprus is officially recognized only by Turkey, the international postal system follows the Turkish logistics route.

All letters and packages pass through the Turkish port city of Mersin-10 and from there are transported to the island by ferry.

If you use the usual address format (“postal code — city — street”), the shipment will go to Southern Cyprus and will not be delivered.

How to correctly write an address in North Cyprus

Main rule: “Turkey, via Mersin-10” must be written before the local address.

Correct address format:

[Recipient Name], [Street, House Number], [City], [Postal Code], KKTC, Turkey, via Mersin-10.

[Recipient Phone Number]

Example of a correct address:

Vitaly Novikov, Ziya Rızkı Cd 1, Girne, 99320, KKTC, Turkey, via Mersin-10. +908451112233

• Ziya Rızkı Cd 1 — street and house number
• Girne — city
• 99320 — postal code
• KKTC — designation for North Cyprus
• Turkey, via Mersin-10 — mandatory part

Recipient phone number — mandatory

When sending international mail, always include the recipient’s phone number starting with +90, as North Cyprus uses the Turkish country code.

Reasons:

• The postal service may need to contact the recipient upon arrival of the shipment
• For some services, it is a required field
• Without a number, the letter may be returned

Where to find postal codes for North Cyprus cities?

We have compiled all TRNC postal codes in a separate article.

How to send a parcel or package?

The procedure is similar to sending a letter:

• Address is written in the same format
• Shipment goes through Turkey
• Phone number is mandatory

Unlike regular letters, packages can be tracked. A separate article explains how tracking works.

AliExpress delivery to North Cyprus

Addresses are written using the same rules, but there are some nuances:

• Not all sellers are familiar with the “via Mersin-10” format
• Sometimes address verification is required
• Some items cannot be shipped to Turkey
• Delivery times may be longer

More details are available in the article on AliExpress delivery.

Alternative method — “I fly / I seek delivery”

In the North Cyprus Telegram forum, there is a section “I fly / I seek delivery” where people help deliver documents or small parcels personally.

Useful tips

• Always include Turkey, via Mersin-10
• Check that the postal code is correct
• Use the local phone code +90
• Write the address in Latin letters