Cypriot ID Card

[Mark]

My card expired over 2 years ago, and could not be renewed, as the rules were that only Cypriots, born in Cyprus were eligible.

Recently, in the last few weeks an Anglo Cypriot friend has informed me she now has a card which appears to be a new style.

I know from last year that another Anglo Cypriot friend was refused a card as she was not born in Cyprus, so the rules have clearly changed...so does anyone know if we expats can apply for an ID card????

[Kili01]

As far as I know the aswer is No.
ID cards were issued to some British expats living here post Cyprus joining the EU to those who had applied for them. But this didn't last long. The reason given was that some expats used their ID cards illegally in lieu of using their passport for travel.
Since then nothing seems to have changed. When my ID card expired in 2014, I was told I couldn't renew it. But I have kept it and can still use it for ID purposes in Cyprus. Both banks and the PO will accept them as will the hospital.
My card being the same size as a bank card is so much more convenient to carry around with me. It would be great if The Govt here should decide to allow everyone living here to have an ID card.
Deej

[WHL]

Ive got an English Cypriot friend, ( born in the UK) and this year while here on holiday with his family, went and got themselves ID and passports,up to now they have had UK passports,( they did this for Brexit reasons} apparently if your father is Cypriot, you are entitled to a Cypriot ID/ passport, I know this to be true because they gave my wifes name as the person to go and pick everything up for them, because they returned home, she will then send the documents on to them.....as far as I know unless you have Cypriot heritage, then you will have to go the become a citizen route to get a passport.

[Mark]

Thanks Dee, WHL, I feared as much, think a trip to the citizens service centre may be needed.

My Anglo Cypriot friend, who was refused a card, had her old card taken from her when she went to renew 2 years ago, I don't want to forfeit my now expired card!

[Kili01]

Maybe I was lucky then, as no one has tried to take my old ID card away from me. In fact they seem pleased to see it as it holds all the details they need in an easy to read format.

Dee

[LouiseCastricum]

Not to British expats only Dee, my husband and I (both from The Netherlands) also had one and we still use the expired ones for ID purposes.

[Lofos-Jan]

You are right about Cypriot heritage entitlements. My sons were both born the UK with UK passports but with a Cypriot dad, were both issued with a Cypriot birth certificate and Cypriot ID on arriving here aged 8 and 3. The new Cyprus ID card look very different to the one that you have Dee so after a few more years it will stand out as being very different. But enjoy it while you can

Jeanne

[Kili01]

Hi Lloyd,
Referring to both our experiences with the usefulness of our old ID cards, it really beggars belief why the Govt doesn't issue everyone living here legally with an ID card which could look quite different to the Cypriot nationals ID. Surely, it would be easier for authorities such as the police to be able to easily identify people in times of need, the present yellow slips are a pain as they are too big and need to be kept folded. They don't fit into a conventional wallet the way that a credit card sized ID card will. Neither do they last as well.
This wouldn't need to be costly (for the Govt) as people could pay a nominal amount before applying for one. I seem to remember that I paid CY £5 for mine.
Dee

[exodus]

I gather most Brits living here don't have either an expired Cyprus ID card or a yellow slip!
Will Brexit mean these illegals will be clamped down on? I doubt it.
We recently applied for our yellow slips, dead easy process.
I gather most Brits don't apply so as to be able to use their EHIC cards for health care for which they are not legally entitled, plus they evade income tax here and/or in UK.
Amos.

[Kili01]

I seem to remember that before Cyprus joined the EU, the Cypriot immigration at the airports used to stamp every non Cypriots passport on entry. When the UK leaves the EU they will probably be doing the same thing. So, people entering this country will have a stamp in their passport gving their date of arrival. Thus it will be much easier for the authorities here to spot those people who are over staying their permitted time in this country.
In the event that someone (British or not) gets caught they will be liable to be deported.
We will no longer have the protection in law of being an EU citizen, in effect we could be treated the way that 3rd country nationals are treated here which is not exactly what we are used to!

Personally, I wouldn't take the risk!

Dee

[Lofos-Jan]

Even if you marry a Cypriot you WILL have to wait 3 years before you can apply for an ID card!

Yes and you will have to apply for Cypriot citizenship first which then entitles you to a Cypriot passport and ID.

Jeanne

[trevnhil]

I gather most Brits living here don't have either an expired Cyprus ID card or a yellow slip!
Will Brexit mean these illegals will be clamped down on? I doubt it.
We recently applied for our yellow slips, dead easy process.
I gather most Brits don't apply so as to be able to use their EHIC cards for health care for which they are not legally entitled, plus they evade income tax here and/or in UK.
Amos.

I would have thought that MOST ex pats DID register here .. I would be interested to know where you got your 'facts' from.

[WHL]

No need to stamp passports, a simple swipe of a passport and the computer does the rest, after Brexit we will be non European union so we will have to Q up and jump through the same hoops as any other aliens, I was in Venice last month, at the airport they were trying to process eight cruise ships that had disembarked at the same time, the Qs were horrendous , the line for EU passport holders was tiny compared to the others,..... tourists from all over the World, get used to it guys..happy days not.

[WHL]

Not to British expats only Dee, my husband and I (both from The Netherlands) also had one and we still use the expired ones for ID purposes.

Do you know what the position is in Holland and the rest of Europe do they issue ID cards to their non citizens?

[LouiseCastricum]

As far as I know you have to have the Dutch nationality to get a passport or ID card.

[WHL]

I gather most Brits living here don't have either an expired Cyprus ID card or a yellow slip!
Will Brexit mean these illegals will be clamped down on? I doubt it.
We recently applied for our yellow slips, dead easy process.
I gather most Brits don't apply so as to be able to use their EHIC cards for health care for which they are not legally entitled, plus they evade income tax here and/or in UK.
Amos.

I would have thought that MOST ex pats DID register here .. I would be interested to know where you got your 'facts' from.

Ive met quite a few who have been here years, and have not registered, they also use the euro card for hospitals....one couple I know got caught for using the card, they were here for years, he was working the markets and never payed a cent in tax, the last I heard they went back to the UK as they were being investigated for several things.

[trevnhil]

I too do know people who have not registered, but I don't think they are part of the Majority ie 'Most'
But of course I have no figures to back up my thoughts..

[josef k]

The majority of Brits here have yellow slips.

To get a Cyprus ID card you have to have, or be eligible for, a Cyprus passport. You can hold a British passport at the same time.

Domestic workers used to have a pink slip (similar to the yellow one), but now they have a card instead. Perhaps the yellow slips will go this way as well, although I have not heard anything on the subject.

[exodus]

I too do know people who have not registered, but I don't think they are part of the Majority ie 'Most'
But of course I have no figures to back up my thoughts..

In reply to your earlier question - see the above post from Mr WHL!
These people also claim UK benefits, not paid to expats resident in Cyprus.
Amos.

[WHL]

..if you seriously think it will kill the "Golden Goose" that is the British expats community after the UK leaves the EU..then I think you are barking up the wrong tree...

...your predictions on this may be as wrong as they are on the use of Mag boxes. Still getting great content on our Mag box three years after you first predicted that Sky and GCHQ were onto us and that continued use of Mag boxes was doomed

...you may have to renew your yellow,slip,every few years...beyond that...there will be no significant changes.

Given that neither the UK nor EU have agreed anything thus far, your source for this invaluable assurance is?

...and if I have to queue an extra ten minutes at the passport desk..well so be it.

10 minutes? If only

Good Post HIC..Some on here prefer to have their heads in the sand....Boy are they are in for a shock, me thinks. as for waiting ten minutes at non EU gates, as I said previously, I was in Venice recently, it was a ten minute wait for EU passport holders, non EU were in a line which stretched out side of the terminal and round the block...