Ercan Airport (Tymbou)
An illegal point of entry: this came up on the exam
The story
Ercan Airport stands by the village of Tymbou, about 13 kilometers east of central Nicosia. This is the north of the island, which the Republic of Cyprus has not controlled since 1974. The Republic considers this airport illegal. The Cyprus Customs Department writes of an “illegal airport” and “closed ports” in the north. The official Cyprus websites name the airports of Larnaca and Paphos and the ports of Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and Latsi as the legal points of entry. Anyone who flies in through Ercan has, under the laws of the Republic, entered the country illegally.
Any airport or port in the north, including Tymbou, which is Ercan, in Greek Τύμπου, is an illegal point of entry. The legal ones are the airports of Larnaca and Paphos and the ports of Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and Latsi. If you have to pick the illegal one out of four options, it is the one in the north.
Visiting
From the south you can drive through a crossing point on the dividing line; Ledra and Ledra Palace are open to pedestrians only. The list of crossing points is on the Cyprus Customs website. The Republic considers entering the country through this airport illegal; the British Foreign Office warns that you may be fined for it, or refused entry to the country or exit from it.
Photos
Sources
- High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in the UK: Visa information (legal points of entry; illegally operating airports and ports in the north)
- Cyprus Customs and Excise Department (Ministry of Finance): Crossing Points — Green Line Regulations (crossing points, closed ports, the illicit airport)
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (GOV.UK): Cyprus travel advice — Entry requirements (entry via Ercan Airport counts as illegal)
- Cyprus Mail, 19.07.2026: Trying to trick people with cheap gotchas — the Cyprus citizenship exam
This text was written by AI from open sources. An expert will still check it. Found a mistake? Write to us. Support
