Paphos Life

Just been reading a few posts on FB advising people that now it is an appointment only system at the Immigration Office.

Just two comments of many:

''UPDATE
They are now stopping you at the door as you go in before you get to reception NO APPOINTMENT NOT BEING SEEN. Appointments aren't until next year. If you have had an appointment and been told to come back with something you need to make another appointment''.

''When we enquired about appointments in September they told us if we came in November we would need one, but not in October''.

Something had to be done, when they said no appointment needed it was not fair on folks that had appointments already, hopefully things will improve.
I do feel sorry for the immigration staff, they’ve been under a lot of pressure lately and take abuse from frustrated applicants

Only 2 weeks ago I went in to make an appointment and was told that I didn't need one and to just come back with all the required paperwork. Now it seems I need to make the appointment.

Yes, I know they are very busy, but so am I and I don't need to waste my time either.
If only they would decide what the rule is and then stick to it they might find that applicants would be less frustrated and the staff might get less abuse.

So, show me the hoop and I'll just go and jump through it for you

Why hadn't you got it sorted ages ago, anyway?

Sadie wrote: ↑Mon Nov 18, 2019 10:30 am Something had to be done, when they said no appointment needed it was not fair on folks that had appointments already, hopefully things will improve.
I do feel sorry for the immigration staff, they’ve been under a lot of pressure lately and take abuse from frustrated applicants

Now the October 31st ''Brexit deadline'' has passed it is only right the system reverts to appointments only.

Agree that it was unfair for those who had made appointments to be seen alongside people who just turned up on the day. However, I do feel that if a person has attended an interview and been told that further documents are required that they should be able to make an appointment within a short time frame (eg 2 weeks) - or are they now having to wait again - perhaps until next year?

Only a week ago, I was talking to someone who was actively engaged in helping British people who were unable to reach Immigration without assistance to get their MEU papers. He had been asked to help in his local area (Limassol by the British High Commission..) Apparently the BHC is very concerned about the estimated number of Brits who still haven’t registered. They put this at 35,000!
He was at pains to tell us that after our countries Brexit anyone caught without registration papers is going to be here ILLEGALLY! Without the protection of being a citizen of the EU, they may be classed as an illegal immigrant from a 3rd country and possibly deported.
All Brits living here who have been happy to live here ‘under the radar’ for their own reasons should take that to heart. Especially if they hold old but no longer valid papers, stamps in passports, ARC’s and so on. Ot possibly have none..
Dee

Sadie wrote: ↑Mon Nov 18, 2019 10:30 am Something had to be done, when they said no appointment needed it was not fair on folks that had appointments already, hopefully things will improve.
I do feel sorry for the immigration staff, they’ve been under a lot of pressure lately and take abuse from frustrated applicants

I feel no sorrow for immigration staff as they are victims of their own circumstances. They should make agents wait their turns along with those clients that are trying to do things by themselves.

Dominic wrote: ↑Mon Nov 18, 2019 12:16 pm Why hadn't you got it sorted ages ago, anyway?

I'm not sure who this comment was aimed at ????

However, to answer it, there are any number of reasons why people have not applied for the MEU3 before now, not least of which is that they have only now qualified for the 5 years after attaining the MEU1, OR sometimes applicants may not have the full 5 years of utility bills or whatever in their own name etc etc

If the comment was aimed at people who have lived here for years without obtaining the MEU1 well then I agree with you

We have been waiting for our MEU3 certificate for 16 months now, having sent emails to Nicosia immigration phoning them all to no avail.
We haven't sent emails to the High Commission again no reply.
We went to see the officer in charge at Paphos immigration who said he would sort it. Still waiting.
We have all the paper work to show we have paid etc.
Next stop The Police as they have taken our money so it is now fraud.

Tremigirl wrote: ↑Tue Nov 19, 2019 2:31 pm We have been waiting for our MEU3 certificate for 16 months now, having sent emails to Nicosia immigration phoning them all to no avail.
We haven't sent emails to the High Commission again no reply.
We went to see the officer in charge at Paphos immigration who said he would sort it. Still waiting.
We have all the paper work to show we have paid etc.
Next stop The Police as they have taken our money so it is now fraud.

Good luck with that one.

Tremigirl

Stay in bed, you'll be better off and won't have a heart attack.

You can't beat the system here.

Sorry

Alan

Austin7,
€120 (+€20) per person may be little to you but to others it's a lot, not to mention the fact that by doing so you are in fact pushing others further back in the queue.

We have used an agent and certainly didn’t get preferential treatment, arrived early waited with the agent for some 45 mins, the agent did the talking sat like a couple of lemons while the photo was taken and this all happened over 7 months ago no certificate as yet, back to the agent who told us could be another 6 months , immigration is concentrating on processing current applications not the old ones, reminds you of the road tax don’t do it till after the cut off date and get a discount.

Tremigirl wrote: ↑Tue Nov 19, 2019 2:31 pm We have been waiting for our MEU3 certificate for 16 months now, having sent emails to Nicosia immigration phoning them all to no avail.
We haven't sent emails to the High Commission again no reply.
We went to see the officer in charge at Paphos immigration who said he would sort it. Still waiting.
We have all the paper work to show we have paid etc.
Next stop The Police as they have taken our money so it is now fraud.

My parents MEU3 went missing in the post, they had to sign an affidavit at the courts to get a new one issued, which was no mean feat as mum is in a wheelchair and not able to walk, hassle I know but things go missing in the post all the time

The blame for all this lies squarely at the doors of all the illegal immigrants from the UK who have lived in Cyprus for years without bothering to register. If you want to blame anybody, blame them. And do so. Tell them what you think of them. Don't just smile politely at them. I know it is the British way, but they do the rest of us no favours.

Happy in Cyprus wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2019 1:17 am Varky, it all depends what value you place on your time and the stress which clearly some have been put under.

For 18 months I went through what Tremigirl is going through when I tried to secure my wife's, and then my, Cyprus State pension. In the latter case I failed completely. The agent I engaged got my pension paid plus rebate of arrears within two weeks. More than happy to pay his modest fee.

Subtle difference in getting an agent to facilitate something you are entitled to and does not inconvenience other applicants and using an agent, in effect, to disadvantage others trying to get the same service. But if you are prepared to throw money at the problem .......hey ho.

Varky wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2019 10:11 am

Happy in Cyprus wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2019 1:17 am Varky, it all depends what value you place on your time and the stress which clearly some have been put under.

For 18 months I went through what Tremigirl is going through when I tried to secure my wife's, and then my, Cyprus State pension. In the latter case I failed completely. The agent I engaged got my pension paid plus rebate of arrears within two weeks. More than happy to pay his modest fee.

Subtle difference in getting an agent to facilitate something you are entitled to and does not inconvenience other applicants and using an agent, in effect, to disadvantage others trying to get the same service. But if you are prepared to throw money at the problem .......hey ho.

You make it sound as if it is antisocial behavior to use an official agent. And surely it is not to disadvantage others.

Louise, when you have been standing in that queue for 2 or 3 hrs, then it is anti-social behaviour by the Agents.

Alan

Tremigirl wrote: ↑Tue Nov 19, 2019 2:31 pm We have been waiting for our MEU3 certificate for 16 months now, having sent emails to Nicosia immigration phoning them all to no avail.
We haven't sent emails to the High Commission again no reply.
We went to see the officer in charge at Paphos immigration who said he would sort it. Still waiting.
We have all the paper work to show we have paid etc.
Next stop The Police as they have taken our money so it is now fraud.

Yes, the next step is to go to the Police and they will give you a document stating that you have not received your MEU3 which you can then submit to Immigration for the re-issue of your MEU3 Certificate.

I just hope in the meantime you aren't barred from accessing the GESY healthcare system?

Definitely agree that the immigration staff should take responsibility for ensuring applicants are seen in the correct order - I believe we all start off the same in that whether as a private individual or an agent an appointment has to be made.

I agree with Dominic's comment ''The blame for all this lies squarely at the doors of all the illegal immigrants from the UK who have lived in Cyprus for years without bothering to register''.

Certainly have never come across this situation in the numerous countries we have lived in and have seen people taken to the airport and their property impounded if they did not have the required paperwork (Spain).

So, in a nutshell, it is down to the fact that the Cypriot Immigration Service is just not doing it's job properly. Greece certainly shows no leniency.