Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

I understand that if you are over 60 year of age you do not need a residency permit,

Is this correct.

I would not believe all that you hear, stay safe & legal.

I agree, I am over 60 and about to renew my residency, I bet when I go to renew they don't say, " by the way you don't need this" yeh right. Officially, over 60's do not need it but I wouldn't go down that road.

Over 60's currently have a concession from the government that they do not need temporary residence permit. A CONCESSION!!

Many people have taken advantage of this concession but you have no stamp in your passport or paper showing that. Someone may confirm this but I understand that when you go through immigration you get a 90 day visa stamp in your passport but it is actually open ended within the concession.

Who knows if, or when, this concession will end and what the ramifications will be.

Agree David, but now residency for over 60's is not necessary when getting a driving licence, just a Muhtars letter so maybe it is now an accepted thing.

To all above !!!

We are both well OVER 60

and we just won't take any chances here

we would sooner be SAFE than SORRY

So next month we will renew again

Agree with above and do the same thing - BUT - has anyone out there applied for and received Permanent Residency yet?

I am aware that a certain organisation says it is not worth paying all that money up front, just in case you don't live that long but I am tempted to just do it in the same way as I would buy a car that will probably outlive me at my age anyway.

I understand the current price is around 1500TL and at an average of 300TL per year for temporary (nothing ever goes down) it means I will have to live another 6 years to be in profit - wow!

My one big concern is how the Permanent Residency is recorded? If it is a stamp in your current passport and that passport expires will you have to pay for another one?

Anyone with any information please add it below. Many thanks.

We tried to apply for permanent residency but if you have been out of TRNC for more than around 30 days in a year (or it might have been 40 days I cannot remember) you do not qualify. As trips to the South count there is no way we would ever be able to apply.
Our residency has just run out, my husband's stamp was in his old passport which he has not been showing for around 6 months they just give him 90 days every time.

Hi Art,

I've taken up this issue with Immigration and passport control at Ercan and they inform me that over 60's do not require a residence permit.Admittedly your passport is stamped 90 days but if you exceed this you will not be penalised.Yes its a concession rather than law but as far as I'm concerned I'm taking that chance.

Thanks to those who have given me something to think about.

I guess its down to Mr Jobs Worth at the border crossing and whether it's worth taking the risk or not.

We were at the Police Station today re-newing my wife's residency. We asked two Police Officers about the over 60's residency. One shrugged his shoulders, the other said you only need it if you drive. So there you go, not really a clear answer.
I also read the advise on the BRS web site, not much clearer i'm afraid.

Permanent residency sounds a good deal to me if you are under 70.

You need to factor in inflation, @ say 10% pa to the annual fees in order to make a fair comparison,and bear in mind they have a habit of putting fees up by huge amounts overnight,as in the doubling the property stamp duty from 3% to 6%(I do realise it has come back down,but I am sure some poor buggers got stuffed while it was 6%).

Paying a one off big fee will crystallise future costs once and for all.

You also need to think about the time you will save going to the police station every year and the endless tests for diseases you are not likely to catch.

If you are male and aged 60-70, like living here, and plan to stay to stay here,the permanent route looks like a bargain to me and I will be applying for it as soon as I am eligible -assuming of course the goalposts don't get moved !

It's an even better deal for the ladies who statistically tend to live longer-Although get their pensions earlier for some reason I have never understood (tin hat going on now).

Philoz - Incoming!!!!!!!!!

Ladies used to get their pensions earlier but no longer I am afraid. I made the cut like all men - so far - at 65 and now have money to burn, yeah!!!! My wife has to wait till she is 66 because of her birthday date dropping her into the new system, much gloom but also much stealing of my rightful OAP to pay for new shoes - lol. The whole pension system is a muddle and if you are getting towards pension age then start asking for the forms and things now, dont wait but push them as hard as you can or else your pension will sit in the coffers of Government and they will spend it all on duty free booze.

As for Permanent Residency, I am in total agreement with you but still can't find out if it is a stamp in the passport or a seperate bit of paper (it used to be a seperate document) so will wait till next year when I have to renew again and then start the fight once more.

Currently you need six stamps in your passport and a stamp for the two year bit for over sixty only counts as one stamp!!

Is there anyone on this board over 60yrs of age who has actually NOT renewed their temp residency?

There are such conflicting stories out there about the need for it when driving Etc.

Has anyone actually not renewed and left the country for example or gone over to the "dark side".

I am due my renewal very soon and in two minds not to however, I don't need the grief that comes with that when leaving or entering the country which I do often.

Information on the brs website ( http://www.brstrnc.com/index.php/residency )
Over 60's Residency & Driving Licence Renewal

Following meetings with the Driving Licence Directorate, we are pleased to confirm that, Over 60's that have taken advantage of the exemption from annual residency renewal, and do not have a Residency stamp in their passport, can show a standard residency Muhtar's letter (ikametgah belgesi) instead.

If you renew your passport then you should go to the immigration office in Lefkosa and they will transfer you stamp of residency to your new one,

Waddo - Re your earlier post(msg 7),you made a couple of good points re permanent residency in terms of how it is recorded.

I would hope, that you are given a card, separate to your passport saying you are permanent and this would have your photo on it.
I would also hope that your computer record here acknowledges this status,so, hopefully no need for a passport stamp at all.
And if you did have an issue at the border you whip your card out and this would clarify matters.
That's how I would organise it anyhow.

I don't know your age,and it would be impolite of me to ask,but I did some sums and assuming 10% inflation on annual fees, the Permanent residency deal pays for itself in 4.5 yrs approximately- Now,given that the average life expectancy for a male is at least 80 nowadays(and increases as you get older if you read actuarial tables-yes, I need to get out more!), then the permanent route makes sense if you are aged up to 76,and possibly as much as 80 for the ladies.

The savings in time, petrol,and unnecessary pricks are a bonus.

As for buying you wife shoes out of your pension,you need to take control of the situation firmly,given that blokes, on average manage quite nicely on 5 pairs-One posh for dinner suit use,one pair each black and brown general purpose,one pair trainers/pumps,and one pair 'Loafer type'-any more is decadent.