Living in Cyprus after Brexit
Answers to the most common and most frequently asked questions about UK citizens status in Cyprus who own or want to buy property in Cyprus
Can UK citizens still live and work in Cyprus?
Yes of course and to make this process as simple as possible, Cyprus has chosen not to obligate UK nationals and their family members residing in its territory to apply for a new residence status as means of verifying that they are entitled to the residence rights set out in the Withdrawal Agreement.
Further to that, UK nationals who are able to prove residency in the Republic prior to the end of the transition period (31/12/2020) and their family members are eligible to obtain a new set of permits (MUKW) which were created specifically for British nationals:
MUKW1: For UK nationals and family members who are also UK nationals
1. This application will grant you a permit to legally reside in the Republic for a period of 5 years.
2. The requirements of the application are the same as the MEU1 – yellow slip application which is available to EU nationals
3. You will not be provided with a yellow slip but a residence card
4. The cost of the application is €30 instead of €20 which is the cost of an MEU1 application
MUKW2: Available to non-EU and non-UK family members of UK nationals who hold a permit to legally reside in the Republic (either an MEU1 or a MUKW1)
This application will grant you a permit to legally reside in the Republic for a period of 5 years.
In accordance with the Directive 2004/38/EC Article 2(2) family members are considered:
1. The spouse
2. The partner with whom the British citizen has contracted a registered partnership, on the basis of the legislation of the Republic
3. The direct descendants who are under the age of 21 or are dependants and those of the spouse or partner
4. The dependent direct relatives in the ascending line and those of the spouse or partner
The requirements of the application are the same as the MEU2 application which is available to non-EU family members of EU nationals
The cost of the application is €30 instead of €20 which is the cost of an MEU2 application
MUKW3: For UK nationals and family members who are also UK nationals or for family member who are non-EU and non-UK nationals
This application will grant you a permit to legally reside in the Republic for a period of 10 years provided that you can prove legal residency for 5 years
The requirements of the application are the same as the MEU3 application which is available to EU nationals
The cost of the application is €30 instead of €20 which is the cost of an MEU2 application
I own a house and live in Cyprus permanently. Am I required to apply again for residency?
British nationals who have already obtained a permit to legally reside in the Republic are not obliged to submit an application again, however, they have the option to voluntary exchange their current permits with the new residency card which is available under the new procedure for British nationals.
This procedure is straight forward and it will cost them €30 for the issuance of their residency card which can be obtained by providing their old permit and a copy of their valid passport.
However, clients should note that the residency cards will not be issued immediately as their previous permits have, but will take several days to be issued and a letter will be sent to their home informing them that their card is ready for collection from the Immigration Department.
I am a UK pensioner living in Cyprus. Can I register to the General Healthcare System (Γεσυ)?
Yes you can. All British nationals who have a valid residence permit can register with the General Healthcare System by providing a copy of their valid passport and residence permit along with their S1 form.
An S1 form is a healthcare certificate that entitles you and any dependents to healthcare in an EU country on the same basis as a resident of that country. However, you should note that each country's healthcare system is different and may not include all the things you might expect to get free of charge from the NHS.
Am I able to bring my family members to live with me in Cyprus?
Yes you are, provided that you already have a residence permit you can request your family members to be included in your permit and obtain their permit through yours.
In accordance with the Directive 2004/38/EC Article 2(2) family members are considered:
1. The spouse
2. The partner with whom the British citizen has contracted a registered partnership, on the basis of the legislation of the Republic
3. The direct descendants who are under the age of 21 or are dependants and those of the spouse or partner
4. The dependent direct relatives in the ascending line and those of the spouse or partner
Is there a limit on the type of property or the amount of properties a British citizen can buy in Cyprus?
The government is yet to announce their guidelines on the matter, however, if a British national has already obtained his property in Cyprus and had his Title Deed prior to the end of the transition period (31/12/2020) the properties already owned by him will not be affected although he may be limited to obtain new properties in the Republic.
Non-EU nationals who would like to own a property in the Republic are able to own up to two properties of a total 4,000 square meters and in order to do so they need to apply for a special permission which will grant them the right of ownership. This may apply to British nationals, however, for the time being there are no guidelines on this matter.
I am a UK citizen and own more than one property in Cyprus. Can I keep all properties on my name? Can I sell and buy another property?
If you have obtained the Title Deed of your property prior to the end of the transition period (31/12/2020) then the new measures which will be announced for British nationals will not affect the ownership of your current properties, however, they will affect the purchase of a new property in the Republic. On this occasion, you have no restriction in selling your property, but, you may have a restriction in purchasing a new one depending on the decision of the government on this matter.
Am I allowed to rent out my property in Cyprus?
Yes you are, nothing has changed on the matter of renting out your property and you are not required to have a permit in order to do so as long as you own your property.
Will I get residency if I buy property in Cyprus? What are my options?
Indeed, you are able to obtain a Permanent Residency through the purchase of your property depending on the value and type of property that you are going to purchase.
If you are interested in purchasing an off-plan newly build property from a developer of a minimum value of €300,000 then you will be entitled to submit an application and obtain Permanent Residency under the requirements of the Regulation 6.2 which is considered a Fast Track Procedure and will grant you your residency in approximately 4 months after the submission of your application.
If you feel that you are not able to fulfil such a purchase you still have the option to purchase a re-sale property of any value and submit an application under the requirements of the Category F which is considered the Slow Track Procedure for Permanent Residency and it needs approximately 18-22 months to be approved once submitted.
Will my UK driving license be valid in Cyprus?
If you choose to permanently reside in Cyprus you will eventually need to exchange your UK driving license with a CY driving license which can be done with a visit at your local Department of Road Transport as your UK driving license will not be valid in Cyprus anymore and you will find it extremely difficult to get a Driving Insurance in Cyprus which is an obligation by law if you would like to drive.
Can I take my pet from the United Kingdom to Cyprus?
A GB-issued EU pet passport is not valid for travel to the EU or Northern Ireland anymore, therefore, if you wish to bring your pet in Cyprus you should first liaise with your vet before you travel to get the necessary pet travel documents and ensure you’re compliant with the EU Pet Travel Regulations.
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