Residency Rights - Exchanging Yellow Strip for Biometric Card

[clive of payia]

For those of us who don't wish to visit the immigration office for the fifth time in 23 years and have no intention of travelling via the Schengen Zone, here is the opinion of CRPG Cyprus regarding the status of not opting for a ten year biometric card. Quote.

From: [email protected] 05/12/25 11:34

Exchanging your old-style “yellow slip” (MEU) for the newer biometric residence card under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement (via the scheme implemented by Civil Registry and Migration Department, Cyprus) does not amount to “surrendering or cancelling” your legal rights of residency. Rather, it is a formalisation or administrative update of those rights under the Agreement.
Here’s how this works — and why exchanging to the biometric card is generally regarded as safe and optional (but recommended) under the Withdrawal Agreement:
Under the Withdrawal Agreement, UK nationals lawfully resident in Cyprus before 31 December 2020 automatically acquired “Withdrawal-Agreement beneficiary” status, giving them the right to continue living, working, studying in Cyprus under broadly the same terms as before.
Cyprus adopted a “declaratory” system per Article 18(4) — meaning that your rights arose by operation of law, not by having to re-apply.
As a result, pre-Brexit residence documents — such as MEU1/MEU2/MEU3 “yellow slips” — remain valid as proof of residence rights.
The new biometric cards (sometimes referred to as “MUKW” or “Withdrawal Agreement residence document”) are offered as an option — not a mandatory replacement (at least for UK nationals and their UK-national dependants).
The reason for recommending the biometric card: it is more durable, helps for administrative ease (borders, travel, residency proof, etc.), and aligns with the standardized format the EU expects for third-country national residence cards under the relevant regulations.
In other words: Your legal right to reside under the Withdrawal Agreement remains intact
As we understand it, the biometric card will be replaced after 10 years.
Unquote.

I have no plans to travel outside of Cyprus, strangely everybody wants to come to me! I will wait for the long overdue ID card, which also requires a photo, fingerprints same as the biometric Card, but should also include GESY details and driving Licence.

Hope this helps.

[trevnhil]

I recently acquired my biometric card with the help of an agent. All went smoothly but I was amazed to be charged over 200 euros. I did check and was assured the charge was correct.
But I suppose like many people, I was not aware that changing from the Yellow Slip, to the biometric card was optional..
I hope that I don't have to apply for yet another card..

[sueb]

Trev- Was that including the fees for the agent?

[trevnhil]

Sueb, yes it was, plus VAT because they are a company

[daveg]

Why use an agent...the process is simpler now, particularly as you now get an appointment...,
I think it cost me €30 + an hour or so of my time...

[josef k]

When my wife returned to Cyprus a month or two ago, she showed her yellow slip (she was still awaiting her biometric card which had been approved) and was told her yellow slip had been cancelled. Unfortunately she wasn't carrying her payment receipt for the card, but after a lengthy discussion with the immigration police they finally let her in.
Also, remember the slip/card is used as proof of residency in many occasions when dealing with official bodies, not just at airports. It may not be just the immigration police who won't recognise a yellow slip in the future.
So, whereas the CRPG may be right in saying the change is optional, you may still run the risk of being detained for overstaying the 90 days, or being denied access to services, if you don't change.

[clive of payia]

Josef, was your wife travelling back from the UK or a Schengen country? If it was a Schengen country, immigration are correct. If however it was from the UK, Wendy at CRPG would be very interested in your wife's encounter with immigration as a case study. Wendy is at email address: [email protected]. I know many expats who travel regularly UK/Cyprus with UK Passport & Yellow Slip with no problems, have done so myself.

[josef k]

It was from the UK.