Cyprus Mail - 28 October 2018
British High Commissioner answers expat questions on Brexit
By Stephen Lillie, British High Commissioner
High Commissioner Stephen Lillie
Thank you for the latest round of questions. Due to space limits, we have not been able to answer all of the enquiries we received this week. We will aim to reply to unanswered questions, as well as new ones that come in, in next week’s column. Many of you have followed the Ministry of Interior’s advice and already begun to file your applications for MEU3s. We understand from the Ministry of Interior that there is currently a four-month waiting period due to the large number of applications from all nationalities across the island. If you have been waiting longer than four months then you can contact them to find out about the status of your applications. We list contact details below. Please note that incomplete paperwork will delay your application being processed.
Please remember to keep checking our Living in Cyprus Guide. You can also sign up for email alerts if you wish to receive a notification when we make updates to the guide. Send your questions to brexit@cyprus-mail.com
I took your advice regarding changing my status to residential even though I already had a yellow slip. I submitted all my documents and paid 20 euros in March and still have not received my certificate. Why it taking so long and no one is telling me if we will come under UK law or EU law regarding making a will.
Do I need to submit original documents? Why do I need to submit five years’ worth of evidence?
The form given to me to apply for the MEU3 asks for a copy of the rental agreement which has to be certified and stamped by the revenue officer and also the mukhtar. Our landlord won’t do this as I’m sure many others won’t so how do we get round this problem to obtain the MEU3?
We have raised the waiting time with the Ministry of Interior Civil Registry and Migration Department. The current waiting time is three to four months due to the volume of applications (from UK and other nationalities) and due to the fact that all applications are sent to one office in Nicosia to be processed. If you have been waiting longer than four months then the Ministry advises that you should call them to check the status of your application in case there are any issues with the documents you submitted. You can get their telephone numbers here:
The Ministry of Interior Civil Registry and Migration Department website lists the recommended documentary evidence required. This includes your rental agreement, utility bills or bank statements. Good quality copies of these documents are required. The key point to note is that you must provide evidence that proves you have been legally residing in Cyprus for at least five years. If you cannot provide this through a rental agreement, then you can use any other document which shows a continuous period of residency of five year in Cyprus. We would always recommend you consult a lawyer for any questions around making a will. We have a list of English speaking lawyers based in Cyprus
We are UK residents and own a property in Cyprus, which we visit on average twice a year for two month stays (Approximately four months a year in total). We note that there is a 90 day rule, however, is that for total in one year or maximum stay of 90 consecutive days in one visit? We intend to remain UK residents. Do we need to apply for any special visa for Cyprus after Brexit? We also own a car in Cyprus. Would we need to apply for any special permits and driving licences in this respect?
I am a UK citizen, when I holiday in Cyprus, what is my maximum stay each year in Cyprus, before Brexit and after Brexit (and does after mean after March 2019 or after transition period)? And will I need a visa if there is or is not a deal struck. Also will my UK driving licence be valid?
My wife and I are hoping to move to Cyprus next year, probably after March 29, will we still be able to live and work there?
Please refer to our Travel Advice page for anything related to en route to and when in Cyprus. We will keep British nationals fully updated via our Travel Advice pages. British nationals can currently remain in Cyprus, as a temporary visitor, for a maximum of 90 consecutive days. If you intend to stay longer than 90 consecutive days, you must apply for a registration certificate (MEU1).
During the transition period, (March 30, 2019 until December 31, 2020) UK nationals will be able to visit, live and work in the EU broadly as they do now. This includes being able to continue to use your driving licence when you visit Cyprus. If you live in Cyprus, you should only drive with a Cypriot driving licence. Future travel arrangements, i.e. after December 31, 2020, are currently being negotiated as part of our future relationship with the EU.
If there is a “No Deal”, when the UK departs the EU on March 29, 2019, your UK driving licence may no longer be valid by itself when driving in the EU. You may therefore need to obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in the EU. From February 1, 2019, the UK government will begin providing IDPs. From this date, you will be able to apply for the 1949 Convention IDP needed for Cyprus at 2,500 Post Offices across the UK. Further information, about driving licences, in the event of a “No Deal” is available here
Our daughter who is 22 has an MEU1 and is presently on a gap year from university. She lives with us permanently in Cyprus; she cannot apply for an MEU3 as she is not in the tax system, does not have income or bank account. Basically she relies on my wife and me for her upkeep and wellbeing. Please would you advise on her position after Brexit.
The guidance issued by the Ministry of Interior Civil Registry and Migration Department makes clear that existing family members of UK nationals who are living in a country other than Cyprus on December 31, 2020 (end of the transition period), will be able to reunite in Cyprus with the UK national family member at any time in the future. They will then be eligible to qualify for permanent residence after completing five years of continuous residence.
It seems rather pointless to go through the process now of obtaining an MEU3 when the existing MEU1 gives us effectively the same rights of future residence, the only possible difference being the degree of permanence.
Why are you saying I have to change my MEU1 for a MEU3?
It is a requirement to apply for a registration certificate (MEU1) if you have been in Cyprus for more than 90 consecutive days and are intending to make Cyprus your home. If you have lived in Cyprus for five years or more, the Cypriot Ministry of Interior Civil Registry and Migration Department recommends that you apply for permanent residency (MEU3). We would always recommend that you follow the advice provided by the Cypriot government. Upgrading your MEU1 to a MEU3 will further formalise your residency status, as you will then acquire the right of permanent residence in Cyprus.
I own a property in Deryneia which my partner and I would like to use for nine months of the year staying in Cyprus then coming back to UK for three months. This will not be for another four years, yet will this be possible after Brexit or will we need to look at committing to one side or the other?
During the Transition Period (March 30, 2019 until December 31, 2020), the process for applying for Cypriot residence documents will remain the same as it currently operates. British nationals will also be able to apply for residence documents after the end of the Transition Period, from January 1, 2021. Whilst we do not have all the details at present, the new residency guide issued by the Cypriot Civil Registry and Migration Department does describe the likely requirements and application process. You can access this through our Living in Cyprus Guide.
I am a Cypriot national and I am planning to move to the UK before March 2019 but because of Brexit I want to know what will be my status after March 2019 in case of deal or no deal.
In the event of a no deal, will a Cypriot driving licence be accepted in the UK?
Cypriots and their family members who, by December 31, 2020, have been continuously resident in the UK for five years will be eligible for ‘settled status’, enabling them to stay indefinitely. Cypriots and their family members who arrive by December 31, 2020, but will not yet have been continuously resident here for five years, will be eligible for ‘pre-settled status’, enabling them to stay until they have reached the five-year threshold. They can then also apply for settled status. The Prime Minister has confirmed that all EU citizens resident in the UK before March 29, 2019 will be able to stay. To echo her words, “You are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues. We want you to stay.” Further details can be found here
If the UK leaves the EU with a “No Deal”, arrangements for EU licence holders who are visiting or living in the UK would not change. The UK does not require visiting motorists, for example, those coming to the UK on holiday or who wish to drive on business, to hold a separate International Driving Permit to guarantee the recognition of their driving licence.
Why are the majority of your presentations set so that the working Brits in Cyprus cannot attend?
Feedback from previous events we have organised is that the majority of British residents prefer that our outreach activities do not take place after working hours. However, we welcome different views and if there is demand for additional events including after working hours we will do our best to offer alternative options. For now we have organised one event on November 27 at Peyia from 17:30 until 19:30 and we are looking into the possibility of live streaming at other venues. If anyone is not able to make the outreach events then please send in questions to brexit@cyprus-mail.com
Does a British person with Cypriot origins need to take up Cypriot citizenship in order to be eligible for a Cypriot ID card and Cypriot passport or does having permanent residency status (via MEU3) suffice? Please note that I am of Cypriot origin on my mother’s side, but she was born before 1960 when Cyprus was under British rule and is thus a British citizen like me.
How can I change my passport to Cypriot one and what costs are there and time scale?
We would always recommend that for questions on Cypriot citizenship and passports that you consult the Cypriot authorities who own the policy and are the experts. The Cyprus government does have specific advice, in Greek only, for people who wish to apply for Cypriot citizenship including for those people who are UK citizens. This is available here
We understand that the passport fee for adults is 70 euros. The application form has further detailed information here
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