Paphos Life

Hi,

Appreciate the subject of yellow slips has been discussed previously but one question can I apply for one as soon as I move to Cyprus?

Allan.

Yes. However, as I recall, you (and each member of your party if applicable) have to take your passport with you to the Immigration office and make an appointment to see an immigration officer, possibly in several weeks' time. You will be given a list of documents to bring with you to the appointment. Basically, you have to prove with paperwork that you can support yourself (letter from employer or pension provider or bank statements), have somewhere to live (contract of sale or lease agreement) and have health cover (private insurance or the latest UK govt replacement for the E121 as it used to be called). You also have to prove who you are (passport, birth certificate, wedding certificate, divorce papers if applicable) etc etc etc My late husband always used to joke that you also needed to bring your Granny's butler's swimming certificates and the pedigree papers for the cat We had to provide passport style photos, but I suspect the Immigration Dept may have an in-house computer-linked camera, but if they want photos, it will be mentioned on the list.

And to help you find the Immigration Office...

https://www.paphoslife.com/directory/en ... =essential

Kay and Dominic,

Thanks very much for your very useful responses.

Allan.

Allan,

Just to confuse things, there are two 'Yellow Slips'.

We, like many other British expats have the MEU1 'Yellow Slip' but there is a new 'Yellow Slip' MEU3.

The UK High Commission is recommending that all British expats get the MEU3 'Yellow Slip'.

However, it's not entirely clear when a British Expat should apply for the MEU3, now or post Brexit.

Suggest you contact the High Commission.

We've just left a message on the High Commission site. We'll wait to see if we get any positive response, in which case we'll post it here.

We've just left a message on the High Commission site. We'll wait to see if we get any positive response, in which case we'll post it here.

Alewfin wrote: ↑Thu Mar 01, 2018 9:28 am Allan,

Just to confuse things, there are two 'Yellow Slips'.

We, like many other British expats have the MEU1 'Yellow Slip' but there is a new 'Yellow Slip' MEU3.

The UK High Commission is recommending that all British expats get the MEU3 'Yellow Slip'.

However, it's not entirely clear when a British Expat should apply for the MEU3, now or post Brexit.

Suggest you contact the High Commission.

There's nothing new about the MEU3 "Yellow Slip", it is & always has been a permanent registration certificate which can be applied for after 5 consequent years of residence in Cyprus!


Shane

ApusApus wrote: ↑Thu Mar 01, 2018 1:51 pm

Alewfin wrote: ↑Thu Mar 01, 2018 9:28 am Allan,

Just to confuse things, there are two 'Yellow Slips'.

We, like many other British expats have the MEU1 'Yellow Slip' but there is a new 'Yellow Slip' MEU3.

The UK High Commission is recommending that all British expats get the MEU3 'Yellow Slip'.

However, it's not entirely clear when a British Expat should apply for the MEU3, now or post Brexit.

Suggest you contact the High Commission.

There's nothing new about the MEU3 "Yellow Slip", it is & always has been a permanent registration certificate which can be applied for after 5 consequent years of residence in Cyprus!


Shane

Shane,

I guess we wait and see what information Allan receives from the High Commission as to why the Commission is now emphasising the need for a MEU3 when in previous meetings with the Commission it hasn't been mentioned or highlighted.

What does it cost for Permanent Residence (MEU3A) and is that available to non-EU Citizens residing here? We are on an
annual Pink Slip, can we get this Yellow MEU3A and so avoid annual renewal hassles?
Thank you.
Amos.

exodus wrote: ↑Thu Mar 01, 2018 2:23 pm What does it cost for Permanent Residence (MEU3A) and is that available to non-EU Citizens residing here? We are on an
annual Pink Slip, can we get this Yellow MEU3A and so avoid annual renewal hassles?
Thank you.
Amos.

I’m not 100% sure Amos but I seem to remember reading that non-EU citizens can apply for permanent residency after 7 consecutive years of living in Cyprus, I will see if I can dig out the relevant information!


Shane

ApusApus wrote: ↑Thu Mar 01, 2018 3:00 pm

exodus wrote: ↑Thu Mar 01, 2018 2:23 pm What does it cost for Permanent Residence (MEU3A) and is that available to non-EU Citizens residing here? We are on an
annual Pink Slip, can we get this Yellow MEU3A and so avoid annual renewal hassles?
Thank you.
Amos.

I’m not 100% sure Amos but I seem to remember reading that non-EU citizens can apply for permanent residency after 7 consecutive years of living in Cyprus, I will see if I can dig out the relevant information!


Shane

That is most kind. We have only been here 1 year (nearly!) but some friends of ours, also from Israel, have been here over 7 years.
I suppose what I was asking was is there a Pink MEU3A?
Amos.

Have a look at this Amos https://www.world.tax/articles/cyprus-c ... iduals.php?

Scroll down to the section "Types of Residency Permits Category F" & "Citizenship by Naturalisation"!


Shane

ApusApus wrote: ↑Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:07 pm Have a look at this Amos https://www.world.tax/articles/cyprus-c ... iduals.php?

Scroll down to the section "Types of Residency Permits Category F" & "Citizenship by Naturalisation"!


Shane

Thanks for that.
Scrolling further down to "Cyprus Long Term Residency" for non-EU Citizens it appears to be available after 5 years here, but only valid for 5 years.
That is fine, and much better than the annual renewal we have to do now for the Pink Slip.
Amos.

From the recent meeting with the high commissioner on his visit to Paphos .

. British Vice Consul, Christina Smith stressed the need for British residents in Cyprus to ensure that all their paperwork is in order and added that after a five year period, MEUI forms can be converted into MEU3 forms. (Both are yellow).

She advised that residents that have been in Cyprus for over five years and meet the criteria should take all of the necessary paperwork to immigration in order to be given the MEU3 form, which is the best available option available to British residents.

http://cyprus-mail.com/2018/02/27/briti ... %27Meu3%27

And if you cannot prove 5 years of LEGAL residency with, for instance, utility bills in your name, as I couldn't (they were then in Dave's name), or don't want to provide copies of 5 years' worth of bank statements, simply ask the Muktar of your village to write a letter confirming that you have lived in that village for 5 years.

The benefit of the MEU3 is that, with permanent residency being granted, however acrimonious the Brexit split, European countries are extremely unlikely to ask permanent residents, even if British and Brexited, to leave. The MEU1 "yellow slip" is simply a registration of your presence and confirmation of your ability to support yourself while in Cyprus. It confers no rights of establishment or abode on the holder, whereas our lawyer reckoned that the only thing better than the MEU3 for a non-Cypriot was a Cypriot passport - which I understand is much harder to obtain and much more costly too.

Thanks to everyone for their responses, all very helpful.

Allan.

I have a MEU3. The process is similar to the one for the MEU1, but they are issued by Nicosia and so take a number of weeks (months if busy) to arrive. Although you can apply at Paphos, it is Nicosia who decide if you will be issued with one.

The MEU1 gives you permission to reside in Cyprus for a period longer than 3 months. It also supports applications for medical cards etc. It doesn't give you the right to reside here, only permission. The MEU3 gives you the right of permanent residency. This means you can't be asked to leave Cyprus unless you are guilty of major crime, for example.

After 5 years of legal residency you can apply for a MEU3.

After 7 years you can apply for a Cypriot passport. The requirements are more exacting of course, police check etc, and more expensive. You also need references from 3 Cypriot citizens (from birth) who have known you for a number of years and can vouch for you. This latter requirement will be an issue for a considerable number of Brits here.

Just an addition that it's not actually a passport you are applying for but naturalisation as a Cypriot Citizen. Once you take citizenship you can then apply for a Cypriot passport if you wished to. Personally I never have as dual nationality is allowed and I choose to use my UK one. I do have a Cyprus ID though and can travel on that to many countries. Naturalisation can be applied for after 7 years residency (presumably now with MEU1 first, then MEU3 after 5 years as proof).

Details here: http://www.moi.gov.cy/moi/crmd/crmd.nsf ... enDocument

Jeanne

Is it not correct though that if you do apply for the MEU 3 you will not then be able to claim that you are non domicile in Cyprus and thus will be eligible to pay defense tax on the interest on your savings?
People may of course still think it worthwhile but need to be aware.Happy to be corrected if I am wrong!
Do you also need to show that you have knowledge of the Greek language or is that not necessary?