MEU3 again!

[MacManiac]

This is something of a mystery. We have been here for nearly six years and have all the documentation required. However, what gives me pause for thought, is that the form we fill in is to grant “permanent residence” to EU citizens. That I understand. However, if and when, the UK finally leaves the EU - we will no longer be EU citizens. Does that mean we will have to go through the process again as non-EU citizens?

I fully agree with the belt and braces approach to ensure continued right to reside but, just like HIC and others, I don’t trust politicians of any country.

[JimX]

I was told at the Immigration on Friday that the point of this is for when the UK leaves the EU, so it will be a must have it seems, putting your head in the sand is probably ill-advisable, for the sake of €20 each it is not worth the possible outcome of not having the MEU3.

We found the paperwork no problem, just follow that list duplicating all of it, although they did not bother even reading some of our forms she was surprised we had been wed for 51 years, said we look too young, I thought she needed glasses , it was very busy on arrival at the office, mainly by agents to others who were seeking immigration issues, not necessarily MEU3, the whole process took just an hour and fifteen minutes that included the drive down and back, why risk not having this it may be a real bun fight come the day of leaving the EU.

[Mrblobby]

I thought it might be interesting to see what is happening for brits in Spain .

Spain has the five year rule as well , but there you will have to wait until the UK leaves the eu before you can apply for permanent residence .


At a conservative estimate there are 370,000 UK nationals residing in Spain. If you are one of them and upon the UK’s exit from the EU you have been living in Spain lawfully for at least five years, you will be able to apply for indefinite permission to reside there, what is termed “permiso de residencia de larga duración”. You will only be able to apply for indefinite permission to reside in Spain once you are no longer a citizen of an EU Member State, so you will need to wait until the UK has finally left the EU in order to apply.
In addition, in order to obtain indefinite permission to remain in Spain, UK citizens will have to show (i) that they do not have a criminal record, (ii) that they have not been ejected either from Spain or from countries with which Spain has a relevant agreement, (iii) that they have private health insurance, and (iv) that they have a net monthly income of not less than €799 for a family of two, and a further €266 per month for each additional family member.

[trevnhil]

I wonder if item iii will include pensioners

[MacManiac]

I was told at the Immigration on Friday that the point of this is for when the UK leaves the EU, so it will be a must have it seems, putting your head in the sand is probably ill-advisable, for the sake of €20 each it is not worth the possible outcome of not having the MEU3.

We found the paperwork no problem, just follow that list duplicating all of it, although they did not bother even reading some of our forms she was surprised we had been wed for 51 years, said we look too young, I though she needed glasses , it was very busy on arrival at the office, mainly by agents to others who were seeking immigration issues, not necessarily MEU3, the whole process took just an hour and fifteen minutes that included the drive down and back, why risk not having this it may be a real bun fight come the day of leaving the EU.

Jim, that is a really interesting and helpful post. We always intended to apply for permanent residence and to hear the necessity of this from an immigration official is confirmation of what many people thought. I have been trying to persuade friends of ours of the necessity of this for some time but they resolutely refuse to do anything about it. They say they are property owners and Cyprus would never prove difficult after the UK leaves the EU.

[JimX]

Mac hello.

I do not think anyone knows the real outcome of all of this, but it is a simple enough procedure once you have copied and printed those duplicates on that list posted, we were home in an hour or so, and that was with a full room with no seating available for this old codger. Personally, I would not risk future problems with immigration, we live on Cyprus and we cannot be expected to be treated as if we lived back in the UK, nearer the Brexit date it may become very busy at the Immigration, so maybe best to get it done SAP. (Not wishing to start a panic).


There are nearly one million Cypriots who live in the UK, they use the NHS and pensioners here will remain in the Cypriot equivalent, Pensioners health treatment is paid for from the UK, I cannot see the problems of this ever changing. I lived here as many did prior to Cyprus going into the EU, nothing changed then and I feel nothing will this time regarding OAP health treatment on Cyprus, you would still need private health insurance if under the qualifying age this is an Immigration requirement.

If in doubt about any Immigration questions, just pop into the office and ask there, they do not bite. While you're there get an appointment for the MEU3.

[Mrblobby]

I found this re a text service , does anyone know if it is still in use ?

If you are waiting for a permanent yellow slip (MEU3), you can now check it's status instead of waiting and wondering what is happening. You send a free text message to 8999. The message should consist of the word STATUS then leave a space and add the number of your application. The application number can be found on the receipt which you received at the time you applied (e.g STATUS 012345/2016). You will receive back an automated reply stating what stage it has reached.

[Mrblobby]

I see in the letter from the high commissioner , he recommends getting the MEU1 , but no mention of the MEU3 ?

[JimX]

Good Morning all.

It makes good sense to get this MEU3 sorted now as it may become a problem when the UK leaves the EU, I agree nobody has the prior knowledge to know what may happen, but if the now-retired High Commissioner recommends ex-pats get this MEU3 then he knows far more than the rest of us.

It is a simple procedure we found, an hour on our photocopier and getting an appointment time and forms, we were in and out of the Immigration office as posted in less than an hour, sorted, why wait for possible panic to get this MEU3 when it is so easy to do now, why risk possible problems if you do not have one? is it worth the possible outcome whatever that may be.

No disrespect to any agents who people pay to use but honestly they are not needed to do this small job, of course, it's your choice but the small waiting room at the Immigration was made up by a third of agents with their clients, mainly Russian and Chinese, we were ushered through in front of those people, because we were not making requests to live here, we already had as they told us a MEU1 as most of us already should have, good luck getting yours sorted, but it is no hassle it really isn't.

PS, they never looked at our meagre bank balance or statements of the same.

[Uncle D]

Does anyone know if there is an immigration office in Polis?
Checked on google looks like we have a couple of long trips to Paphos

[Mrblobby]

Jim
To be clear did you walk out with an MEU3 or was your paperwork then sent to Nicosia and they issued the MEU3.
Did you give them paperwork which could clearly show residency over 5 years.

I am trying to reconcile what you provided against what we were told as you have first hand knowledge.
TD

It will interesting to see how long it takes to arrive from Nicosia .