Britain’s top diplomat in Cyprus did much to reassure expats this week that Brexit will not affect their lives – but many remain confused about the precise paperwork they need to confirm their residency and rights on the island.
UK nationals “will be able to carry on living, working or studying in Cyprus for as long as you want to,” Stephen Lillie, Britain’s High Commissioner, said in an open letter on Tuesday.
The UK and the European Commission reached a comprehensive agreement last December on the reciprocal protection of the rights of UK and EU citizens after Britain leaves the bloc next March.
Lillie assured expats: “Your rights to remain in Cyprus will be protected now, during the implementation period and beyond. You will continue to be able to access social security on the same basis as Cypriot citizens living in Cyprus.”
At the same time, he urged expats who have lived in Cyprus for more than 90 days to register with the island’s authorities as soon as possible to legalise their status.
But there are complaints on online expat forums that Cypriot officials dealing with immigration enquiries are inconsistent in the advice they offer.
“Immigration staff don’t seem to be singing off the same song sheet, so people are being told different things by different staff members and it’s very confusing,” said Neil Hart, a Paphos businessman who owns and operates a forum in Paphos.
Hart said he intends to apply for his MEU3, which he expects to be straightforward as he’s lived in Cyprus for 18 years and pays both social insurance and tax.
Britain will formally leave the EU in March 2019 with an implementation period extending to 31 December 2020. Expats will have a further six months after that – until 30 June 2021 – to make any necessary preparations according to the terms of a final withdrawal agreement which has yet to be concluded.
“You will be entitled to have your social security contributions made before and after exit in the UK, or in another member state, count towards a future UK or EU member state pension,” Lillie said. “Your children will continue to enjoy access to education on the same basis that Cypriot children do.”
Travel procedures and driving licences for expats have yet to be negotiated and will be clarified in the future, but the present status holds until December 2020.
He added that “arrangements for travel between the UK and EU beyond 2020 are also being discussed during the second phase of the negotiations.”
Meanwhile, “up to 31 December 2020 you and your EU family members will continue to be able to travel to the UK as you do now. In some cases where you have resided in an EU member state for at least three months, your non-EU family members may also travel with you to the UK.”
According to the British High Commission, there are essentially three residency statuses that British expats are entitled to: MEU1 (registration for residents that want to live in Cyprus for more than three months), MEU3 (residents who have lived in Cyprus for more than five years) and citizenship (residents who lived in Cyprus for more than seven years).
Most British expats are currently in possession of a ‘yellow slip’ registration certificate – officially known as an MEU1. A list of all of the necessary paperwork to obtain an MEU1 is available at the civil registry and migration department’s website.
However, Britons living in Cyprus for five years should apply for an MEU3 – a residency certificate – also confusingly yellow.
According to the civil registry and migration department, there is a list of documents required when applying for an MEU3. However, a member of staff told the Cyprus Mail that not all of them may be required in every case.
Expats should make an appointment at their nearest immigration office and obtain an MEU3 application form and a list of required documents, she said.
This will be taken along with the appropriate paperwork to the appointment, (bookings are being made for around two months’ time, depending on the area.)
“Applicants must have lived continuously in the Republic of Cyprus for five years to get an MEU3 and there are recommended documents which may be submitted for the application of a certificate of permanent residence by the person concerned,” she said.
The list is as follows: a certificate of registration or residence card, a rental agreement or property sale contract, or title deed, for the last five years. Utility bills or statements of accounts from the relevant authority (water, telephone or electricity) dating back five years.
Bank statements dating back five years and month by month social insurance certificate (which can be taken from the citizen’s advice bureau) for contributions over the last five years.
Any other document which proves the completion of a continuous period of five years in the Republic of Cyprus may also be helpful, she said.
Concerning healthcare, the High Commission said that UK tourists will continue to be able to use their European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) to gain free medical treatment in Cyprus until the end of the implementation period.
“We advise British nationals living in Cyprus to apply for a RoC medical card but there are certain criteria to be met. Otherwise, they will have to opt for a private insurance agreement, until the national healthcare scheme (Gesy) is in place.”
When Gesy is finally introduced, all individuals living in Cyprus should have the right to access healthcare, but potential contributions of expats to the scheme have yet to be agreed. (The NHS has some advice on healthcare for those moving abroad on its website.)
The British High Commission is planning another series of outreach events for British nationals across the island this autumn, as the negotiations advance further.
Useful links: MEU1
http://www.moi.gov.cy/moi/CRMD/crmd.nsf/All/69E690A161D174D6C2257D2C0045750B?OpenDocument
MEU3
http://www.moi.gov.cy/moi/crmd/crmd.nsf/All/D1D71A1CD6E43223C2257D2C00459524?OpenDocument
