Retirement in Paphos

[josef k]

Gwenny gives a good service and is a lovely person. However, I strongly recommend doing it all yourself. Not necessarily for financial reasons, but for the fun of learning about your new country and how things are done here. It's not difficult. Don't insulate yourself from Cypriot society.

Whilst I am at it, don't keep reading British newspapers. Buy the Cyprus Mail (it's in English). Don't watch British TV news. You will be happier without it. Shop in the Cypriot shops, not the British ones (no offence meant, just personal choice). Don't join the ex-pat social clubs (I know many people reading this think they are wonderful, and perhaps they are, but it's just more insulation in my view).

Oh, and learn a bit of Greek.

[trevnhil]

Doing it yourself is just fine... And lots of things we have done that way.. But someone who is in the know, can certainly speed things up...
When I went to apply for a new electricity supply to a new build, I was told... 'It take Many Years'
Eventually I got someone to 'Help' and it was done in around a year and a half... It's not much fun living in a new house with no electricity

[Mrblobby]

At the risk of provoking the East of Paphos v West of Paphos debate it is worth taking a look at Secret Valley, as it has proved perfect for us, the only one irritation I can think of is the fact that it is not on a bus route.

It is on a bus route , but only to the bottom round about . They have some bus shelters part way up the hill , so who knows , maybe one day they will extend the service .

[Princebytor]

Yes according to the residents association there is talk of getting the buses to come up to the top roundabout............still waiting !!!!

[Lazydaze52]

We did all the admin ourselves and it is easy, mind we weren’t buying so can’t comment on how easy that would be. There are fees involved doing it yourself but nowhere near the price quoted in an earlier post.

There’s no massive hurry to complete everything either, you have three months. First task for us was to find our home, you need a tenancy agreement to open a bank account so that was the next thing to sort out.

A couple of weeks after we moved in we went off to the Immigration Office and got our appointment which at the time was a six week wait. Don’t forget to take your passport, you won’t be given an appointment without it. You are given forms and a list of everything you need to bring to your appointment which are passport, tenancy agreement, certified bank statement, S1 (or health insurance cert if you are not eligible for S1) and confirmation of income/pensions. On the appointed date you return to the Immigration office with all your documents plus photocopies, they take your photo, make out a yellow slip for you which is your official residence certificate, and that’s it.

By the way, if you are eligible for an S1 you can’t get it while in the UK, we had our flights booked and accommodation arranged before we came out here but they would only post out the S1 form to our Cypriot address once we were over here, takes about 2 weeks to arrive and if our experience and that of many others is anything to go by, will have your dependent missed off, took three attempts before they got it right for us.

Another day you’ll take yourself off to the Citizens Advice with your yellow slip and S1, complete their form which asks for details of your annual income, that all gets sent off and a week or so later your medical document arrives by post.

Slowly, slowly is the way of life out here ......

[PW in Polemi]

Don't give up your UK Sterling bank account. Its extremely difficult, almost impossible, to open a new one when a permanent resident of Cyprus.
Don't give up your UK Credit Cards. Cyprus banks don't function the same with regard to credit cards like the UK. They are more restrictive.

Unless your UK credit card is issued by your UK bank, then simply by moving from the UK you are putting at risk your ability to keep your credit card. For instance, Barclaycard insist that their cardholders are resident in the UK, and MBNA, although happy to accept our change of address from UK to Cyprus, were not prepared to either transfer the account to my name or open a new account for me in my name after my husband died - he was the account holder, I had a secondary card on his account. So as if losing my husband wasn't bad enough, I then had salt rubbed in the wound by having the credit card rescinded.

[Quiet-life!]

Hi all......thank you so much for all the invaluable advice . We have been in touch with Gwenny ......and oops 'slapped wrists' for demeaning 'A place in the sun" but the exhibition was so full of PPs and brilliant toothy smiles I was a bit overawed ......basically we are coming in the next couple of weeks and jumping in at the deep end .......fed up with the snow and the likes ! Really looking forward to joining you happy people ......and suggestions for a decent car hire .....which won't break the bank?

[memory man]

Have a look here ...............https://www.paphoslife.com/directory/category/car_hire

[Firefly]

Re. paper work etc. I would say do what you are able to yourselves, It's not rocket science. If you read what is required, and follow it to the letter, then you won't have to pay a third party to do it for you.

It will help you to communicate with the Cypriot people, most of those who are in official positions will help you, as they all speak English. I also think it's too easy to sit back an let someone else do your paper work, you have retired, therefore your brain will no longer have to concentrate on specific things as it did before retirement, but you still need to use the little grey cells.

Also it's good to be aware that when you are British, you have a Pound sign over your head, don't be persuaded to part with your hard earned cash too easily.

Jackie

[Dominic]

Surely that would be a € sign, but sage words.

[Alewfin]

Don't give up your UK Sterling bank account. Its extremely difficult, almost impossible, to open a new one when a permanent resident of Cyprus.
Don't give up your UK Credit Cards. Cyprus banks don't function the same with regard to credit cards like the UK. They are more restrictive.

Unless your UK credit card is issued by your UK bank, then simply by moving from the UK you are putting at risk your ability to keep your credit card. For instance, Barclaycard insist that their cardholders are resident in the UK

I have an NatWest credit card and they have no problem with me being a resident in Cyprus.

I also have a HSBC debit card and and the same applies.

[J B]

.................................
You are given forms and a list of everything you need to bring to your appointment

Goodness me, I thought the Cypriot authorities loved to keep it a secret till you arrived without something!!!

Times must have changed!

[Maggie B]

Oh Heerie JB, I had a wee giggle at your post there.

Been there and gathered the T-shirt.

However, we found 'the authorities ' quite helpful after we had succumbed to all their needs. The Cypriot people love a bit of banter . . . . . . .And my OH had that in cheekyloads. Worked wonders. Including applying for his Cypriot Pension from the UK.

MB

[Robert]

.................................
You are given forms and a list of everything you need to bring to your appointment

Goodness me, I thought the Cypriot authorities loved to keep it a secret till you arrived without something!!!

Times must have changed!

I think there still is an element of this in play. MrsRobert and I are retiring early to Cyprus and we'll be living off dividends and interest. I physically went to Paphos Immigration (never responded to emails and don't answer the phone) and was given this "list" which stated "Incomes Certificates (pensions, rentals, salaries)+copy" as one of the criteria I needed. I asked if dividends and interest would be accepted and after a shrug was told I needed to apply. I also asked what the minimum income level was from which I received another shrug and a request to apply.

So in a few months this family is about to pack up and move to Cyprus in the hope that dividends and interest will be accepted as Income and that I have enough. The only comfort I have is that my dividends are more than the 'income' requirements for non-EU nationals.

[J B]

Oh Heerie JB, I had a wee giggle at your post there.

Been there and gathered the T-shirt.

There's a comedy you-tube video somewhere of an 'official person' demanding documents somewhere (maybe Spain) and ending up in tears as everything he demanded was produced

[Quiet-life!]

Hi all .....a few more questions please.....
We are looking at the The bank of Cyprus to open an account .....any comments ?
Reading all the posts , I really feel that we want to avoid being too cold up in the hills in winter so plan to be a bit closer to the city but in a residential area away from the main tourist places. ?

[daveg]

Can't comment on Bank of Cyprus, am sure others will, but would highly recommend Hellenic bank.... particularly their online banking service....

[trevnhil]

We use a village branch of the BOC, and have had no problems. They have internet banking as well.
Re your planned Location. Try looking at Mesogi or Tremithousa.. Both villages are up above the Humidity belt and have plenty of shops nearby..

[Alewfin]

Can't comment on Bank of Cyprus, am sure others will, but would highly recommend Hellenic bank.... particularly their online banking service....

Fully agree, especially their online banking.

[William Morris]

Quiet life, re your original post.

You say that you have never been to Paphos before!! So any tips or recommendations that people give will not mean anything to you.

You need to see for yourself which area suit you. The only way that you can do that is to come out and look around. Maybe it won't suit you. Maybe Limassol or the Eastern side will be more to your liking. It is bigger than you think.

Don't worry about bank accounts and things like that.

Just visit and look around.