Living In Cyprus

If you want to settle, work, run a business or retire in Cyprus, there are procedures that must be followed. The process is much simpler than it used to be for citizens of EU countries, now that Cyprus has joined the EU.

Visas and Permits

Citizens of any EU country can enter the Republic of Cyprus with an identity card or a valid passport. Dependants - spouses and children - enjoy the same rights as the European citizen whom they accompany but a dependant who is not a national of an EU country must have a visa. Citizens of Australia Canada, Japan and the USA require no visa.

Tourists may stay up to three months and are not allowed to work. If you decide to stay longer, you need to apply for a temporary residence permit.

If you've got a stamp in your passport issued by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus you will probably have trouble getting into the Republic of Cyprus the south.The only legal points of entry are the airports at Larnaca and Paphos and the ports of Limassol and Larnaca.

Residence

European citizens who wish to live in Cyprus are required to register with the Department of the Population and Migration Archive or with an office of the Aliens and Migration Service of the police. Once registered, You are allowed to look for work. European citizens who work and reside legally in Cyprus have the same rights as citizens of Cyprus as regards pay, working conditions, residence, social insurance and trade union membership.

Residence Permits for EU citizens

When you first arrive, you must apply within eight days for an alien registration certificate ARC at the local immigration branch of the police (issued automatically for monitoring purposes). A fee of CY£20 is paid for the issue of this.

When you have a job, You must also apply for a social insurance number. If you and your family wish to stay in Cyprus for more than three months, or work in Cyprus, you should apply for a residence permit through the local district aliens and immigration branch of the police. Application forms for the issue of a residence permit are available at the Civil Registry and Migration Department of the Ministry of Interior and at the district aliens and immigration branches of the police.

The application form must be submitted within three months of entry in the Republic. The residence permit is issued within a maximum period of six months from the date of submission of the application. The first permit you will receive will be valid for five Years and will be renewable indefinitely. You must supply the original and a photocopy of each of the following:

• Your passport.
• Two recent passport photos.
• Details of all visits to Cyprus for the last five years.
• All up-to-date bank statements and investment details such as share certificates).
• Statement of all income royalties annuities
• Deeds or contract of purchase of any property in Cyprus.
• Certificate of medical insurance.
• Anything else that demonstrates that you are solvent and not likely to become a burden to the Cypriot state.

After a few months, you will receive a pink slip to attach to the alien's visitor permit.

After two years you can apply for a permanent residence permit. It is best to do this about 18 months before the pink slip expires, to avoid having to renew the pink slip while the new permit is being processed. You can work while the obtaining the residence permit are being carried out.

Citizenship

There are two ways to apply for Cypriot citizenship: by naturalisation and as a result of marriage to a Cypriot citizen.

Working in Cyprus

As Cyprus is now a member of the EU, work permits aren't required for any EU citizen who wants to work or start a business on the island. As a result, increasing numbers of young EU citizens are looking at the possibility of living and working in Cyprus and bringing op their families there. The Mediterranean climate, the slower pace of life and the low crime rate are all very attractive. Yet, before you make any decisions about moving to Cyprus to work, you should ensure that it will be possible for you or any family members to work in Cyprus. Don't forget that you will he competing with well qualified Cypriots for jobs. Although English is widely spoken on the island, you may find that some employment areas are closed to you unless you speak fluent Greek. This naturally depends on which area of employment you choose. Even if your qualifications are acceptable in theory. Most expatriates who come to work in Cyprus usually find jobs or start businesses in tourism, IT or the construction industry.

Retirement

Cyprus is a perfect spot for retirement, as many have discovered - warm, relaxed, friendly and affordable. Health care is good although you won't find the sophistication of specialist medical facilities for ongoing conditions that you might expect in the UK. Procedures for obtaining a residence permit and claiming your pension are described below.

Getting a Residence Permit

You can start your retirement on a temporary residence permit (for which you need a bank account in Cyprus and a sales agreement on a property), which is valid from one to four years. In order to settle in Cyprus permanently, and to live on earnings derived from your pension and/or other income from sources outside Cyprus, you have to apply to the chief immigration officer for approval under Category F of Regulation 5 of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations of 1972-1996. You also have to submit a short CV and documentary evidence that you have a secured annual income (such as pension, dividends from investments, interest from deposits) of a sufficient amount to support yourself and your family while in Cyprus. The annual income must be at least CY£5,600 per person, plus CY£,700 per dependant. Only original or officially certified copies of the documents showing your secured annual income are accepted. If your application for a residence permit is finally approved, you will not be allowed to engage in any form of business profession or occupation, whether paid or unpaid, while residing in Cyprus and you will have to support yourself and all your family from your own income.

Claiming Your Pension

You can claim your UK state pension directly in Cyprus, although you must advise the Pension Service in the UK when you relocate to Cyprus, so the relevant forms can be sent to you when you near retirement age. You will usually be paid straight into your bank or building society account in the UK or your bank account in Cyprus, if you have one. Or, if you wish, you can choose to have payment by payable orders sent straight to you by post. Whichever you choose, payment is made every four or 13 weeks in arrears.