yellow slip

[Jim B]

I do understand for most obtaining a yellow slip is plain sailing but for some it takes a lot of hard work depending on circumstances, nationality for one.

Jim

[David]

Hi Lofus-Jan,

Thank you for reading and understanding my point. I was just trying to relay our experiences and decisions so far. I did not mean to be hijacked by an interminable scolding on the merits of various healthcare schemes.

Still, good experience for Boro886 (another greenhorn like myself) on how one's specific question and subsequent replies can be lost in translation.

After the rollercoaster of;
Selling our house in the UK within four days, instead of the anticipated weeks or months,
Dealing with everything that Completion two WEEKS later involved and getting the last two seats on the last 'plane out of Birmingham at such short notice we were a tad frazzled. And then...

Whilst camping in a holiday-let for two weeks in Coral Bay we had to do the whole process again in reverse;

Find somewhere to live, open bank account, Electricity, Internet, you know the score. Went to Immigration and instead of the usual anticipated three /four months they said come back in six weeks. And two of those were Christmas and New year! As you so correctly wrote, it was another necessity.

[boro886]

My retirement age in the UK is 66 years. Is it at this stage that I qualify for my SP1 in Cyprus or is it at 65 years please.

[keving]

My retirement age in the UK is 66 years. Is it at this stage that I qualify for my SP1 in Cyprus or is it at 65 years please.

I get my bus pass in England when I am 66 - ie when I reach my state pension age.

On this (unscientific, but perhaps logical ) basis, my guess is that you would get your SP1 when you are 66, your state pension age.

I'd be interested to know if there is a definitive answer on this.

[galexinda]

My retirement age in the UK is 66 years. Is it at this stage that I qualify for my SP1 in Cyprus or is it at 65 years please.

You cannot apply for the S1 form until you are in receipt of the UK State Pension which depends on your State Pension Age which in your case will be 66.

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/ch ... ension-age

[ApusApus]

In order to get a S1 Form which I assume is what everyone is meaning, you will need to apply to the Int. Pension Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne. As I understand it, you will only receive it when you are entitled to draw your state pension which could be 65, 66, 67 or longer depending on whether you are male or female, & what your current age is? For example, I will draw my pension when I reach 66 but my wife will have to wait until she is 67!


Shane

[David]

Hi Jamboal,

From our research no-one provided a definitive answer on savings as to how much is enough or how much is deemed enough per annum to live on.

I assumed, with all the 'comings and goings ' of people moving to and from Cyprus that they deal with each case on its merits.

We handed over a statement from our UK bank detailing the last three months and one from our new Cyprus bank account detailing activity since we arrived and crossed our fingers (and everything else).

Two little words, "That's Okay " and we were in.

Good luck.

[boro886]

Thanks again, thought that was the case but was hoping for a pleasant surprise. ha ha

[ApusApus]

Guess that's pretty definitive then!


Shane

[Jamboal]

Thanks David,

Sounds like we will be okay unless brexit changes anything, looking forward to moving out permanently.

Allan.

[Royal]

The insurance was just another beaurocratic hoop we had to jump through in the alloted timeframe. We purchased 'immigration compliant ' insurance to attain residents status and allow time to consider our real-life options. In saying that, We were pleasantly surprised to review the policy before purchase and appreciate just how much real-life cover was assured.

We secured Immigration-compliant Private health insurance for €165 each, (and received the usual "not worth the paper it's written on" comment from one ' well -wisher ' but hey, another beaurocratic hoop dealt with and pleasantly surprised at the cover provided.

Hudswell :

We asked for and "got " exactly what we paid for.

I was just trying to relay our experiences and decisions so far. I did not mean to be hijacked by an interminable scolding on the merits of various healthcare schemes.

Oh dear, David - rather tetchy responses to an extremely important subject. You may well ignore the advice being offered to you by (believe it or not) well wishers but please do not mislead others contemplating a move to Cyprus by recommending 'immigration compliant' medical insurance policies. Like it or not and believe it or not, such policies are NOT worth the paper they are written on.

Contrary to your assertion that the thread has been 'hijacked', medical insurance has everything to do with obtaining the yellow slip as having medical cover in place is a pre-requisite to obtaining residency - the yellow slip. Similarly, two negative responses that the cover you seem to be recommending to others can hardly be construed as 'interminable scolding'. You have paid a total of €330 for what you call 'immigration compliant' insurance. Anyone reading the threads about obtaining a yellow slip may therefore be led to do the same as you and the point which has been made is that it would be money wasted. Whilst such a policy may ensure that you get a yellow slip, it is highly unlikely to actually give you the medical cover you will need when unable to avail of State funded healthcare. As I pointed out to you before, any medical insurance policy which does not require an initial medical and costs just 10% of the average medical insurance policy is not likely to be worth too much when it comes to the serious business of actually making a claim. It's like buying a car with no MOT for fifty quid and expecting it to cover your European Tour with no further expense.

When relocating to Cyprus, you have 90 days (3 months) before you are required to register with immigration. Strangely enough, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) provides up to 90 days medical cover for UK citizen's abroad. Anyone relocating to Cyprus should therefore not panic in trying to get medical insurance in place before this generous time period has elapsed as long as you ensure that you have a valid EHIC. Also bear in mind that when registering with immigration, you can request your actual appointment to be one or two months later - effectively giving you more time if required to get the necessary documents/cover etc in place.

Routine private medical care in Cyprus is actually very cheap, and as Hudswell has pointed out, it's not always beneficial to use your medical insurance to recover the outlay due to increased premiums. However, for those who are not entitled to State funded healthcare and either decide to self insure or who have no effective cover whilst considering 'real life options' ( ), beware! Major surgery or treatment for major illnesses can run into tens of thousands of euros.

[David]

Royal,

Tetchy., well yes and if so apologies to you and Hudswell. I'm actually more annoyed with myself for stating the amount paid for medical insurance rather than just declaring it was purchased because..

The OP only asked is my pension adequate and how soon should I apply for a yellow slip, no mention of medical insurance, and Boro886 appears to be doing his research as we did. But circumstances overtook us. We put our house on the market, blinked, and found ourselves in Cyprus. Nowhere, nowhere did I recommend Immigration Compliant insurance. I stated that was the option we took at the time to comply with the, unexpectedly imminent, interview .

Of course we are aware of the need for adequate insurance, I've been buying insurance since I was sixteen (it was a Lambretta) and from his declared pension the OP is my age but wiser.

The real elephant in the room and the driver for our haste which Jamboal alluded to and I know I am going to regret this,but here goes anyway...

After June 23 last year we were even more stressed. Not hijacking my own subject, not saying which way I voted, just more stress. If Immigration had asked for €330 instead of €20 I would have paid double that to be allowed to live here.

I am now going to skulk back to the Motoring Section where no-one talks to me.

[boro886]

Well I will speak to you David, I need all the friends I can get!!!

Now that you mention Health I nsurance, it is a bit of a dilema to us. I have Type 2 Diabetes and fear that whatever insurance I take out that they will not either cover me from the outset or pay out if they can use the pre-existing illness argument.

I cant see any way around this but yet again I would be interested in everyones thoughts.Unless of course the thoughts were to stay in UK.HA HA

[boro886]

So I would be basically be paying a high premium with very reduced cover

[Royal]

Boro886

Your initial medical will identify the 'baseline' which the underwriters will use to assess the risk and subsequently what they will cover and the resultant cost of the premium. I wasn't aware of any pre existing conditions before my initial medical in January 2015, but they identified a total of six - three of which they agreed to cover with a 'loading' on the premium which in total increased the advertised annual premium by 35%. These were my high cholesterol levels, height/weight ratio and BMI. The other three conditions would not be covered by the policy and these were high liver enzymes, a degenerative lower spine (essentially due to age and 42 years full time military service) and some water in the lining of the lungs.

I can't say for sure, but I suspect that a pre-existing condition of diabetes would not be covered, and that would neither raise the premium nor lower the rest of the cover provided. I am 62 and my wife is 60. Our annual premium is now £3.5k, but we have 'executive' policies which give superior cover at an increased premium. The quid pro quo for me, is that I am saving around that figure annually by being taxed in Cyprus rather than UK.

[boro886]

Boro886

Your initial medical will identify the 'baseline' which the underwriters will use to assess the risk and subsequently what they will cover and the resultant cost of the premium. I wasn't aware of any pre existing conditions before my initial medical in January 2015, but they identified a total of six - three of which they agreed to cover with a 'loading' on the premium which in total increased the advertised annual premium by 35%. These were my high cholesterol levels, height/weight ratio and BMI. The other three conditions would not be covered by the policy and these were high liver enzymes, a degenerative lower spine (essentially due to age and 42 years full time military service) and some water in the lining of the lungs.

I can't say for sure, but I suspect that a pre-existing condition of diabetes would not be covered, and that would neither raise the premium nor lower the rest of the cover provided.z

The fact that the diabetes wont be covered doesnt really help me though does it, as that is the most likely cause of requiring treatment at some stage, which i will have to find some way of paying for

[boro886]

Nope, one of the disadvantages I am afraid of retiring to Cyprus prior to reaching State Retirement age, and again don't forget to budget for the cost of medication into your outgoings, whilst prices are controlled by the state some are expensive.

thanks for that i am busy working out medication prices approx 140 euro a month i think

[Royal]

i am busy working out medication prices approx 140 euro a month i think

Hopefully, you've found the link, but just in case...

https://www.paphoslife.com/med_prices

[Keith]

This has been a very interesting subject and really helpful due to we are also moving over in 8 weeks time.

Keith