Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Having read and listened to all and sundry over the last 6 months or so giving their version of what they believed to be the facts, I went today to Immigration and spoke personally to the Deputy Head Honcho who in turn called in a senior Immigration Officer to act as interpreter, so there would be no confusion.

Question: Do the over 60's need to apply for a yearly Residency stamp.

Answer: Definitely NO. However there are provisos. (a) If you work then you MUST have a Work Permit. (b) If you wish to apply for a Driving Licence for the first time or your Driving Licence runs out and you want to re-apply for one then you MUST have a current residency stamped in your Passport.

So in a Nutshell: If you are a non driver or you wish to give up driving in the TRNC and never want to re-apply for a D.L. and are over 60 then you do NOT need a residency stamp in your Passport. The Lady, covered in scrambled eggs on her shoulders and other whistles and bells on her uniform, was very helpful and said she hoped she had been helpful.

Thats how it appears at the moment, until and unless the Government changes it's mind.

Nothing new there, then! At least it is good to know that myhymn tune was the correctone, although it might have been interesting to challenge with a 'What about having a muhtar's letter to get a Driving Licence'. Wonder what the response might have been?

But thanks Sophie for living up to your name (for those who don't know it, Sophia means 'wisdom')

It would actually look like you have created confusion!

From the BRS Website:-

"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."

You spoke to an immigration officer, would an immigration officer know what the requirements of the Driving Licence Directorate were?



Just out of interest what happens if you are out of the country and your residency expires, you would technically be late applying for a new one. Would you be in trouble for this?

*Edited* Explained on BRS site again:-

PLEASE NOTE THAT ANYONE WHO WILL BE ABSENT FROM THE TRNC AT THE TIME THEIR RESIDENCY IS DUE, MUST VISIT IMMIGRATION IN LEFKOSA BEFORE LEAVING THE COUNTRY AND ADVISE THEM OF LIKELY TIME THEY WILL BE AWAY, SO THAT THE AUTHORITIES CAN MAKE A SYSTEM ENTRY TO THAT EFFECT.

But those who take advantage of this 'offer' of NOT needing Residency as they are over 60, will not need to notify anyone because their residency will not expire because they don't have one!

And as to an Immigration Officer knowing, the driving licence availability IS connected to residency, so they should know.

But it is confusing. The entire issue is confusing, and that is why I would not want to get caught up in it. Residency is so much easier, unless of ocurse people do not have the requisite funds here (one has to hsow some monies and an income. Maybe some over 60 are not yet on pensions but have other monies that means they can live o.K, Thenh I guess it would make sense of not applying for residency. Now I have probably confused the issue even more. But at the end of the day WHO DOYOU BELIEVE???

Shame you didnt ask if it was there fore unnecessary to cross and get a 90 day stamp. I dont leave the country to go abroad but if I had to I would be concerned about immigration at the air port sometimes the left doesnt know what the right is doing.

Well done for trying Sophie.
However, (a) this conflicts with negotiated advice from BRS and (b) it cannot be definitive as it is not in writing and therefore can be contested by any other official. Sorry

Thanks for trying anyway.

Marions wrote:But those who take advantage of this 'offer' of NOT needing Residency as they are over 60, will not need to notify anyone because their residency will not expire because they don't have one!

And as to an Immigration Officer knowing, the driving licence availability IS connected to residency, so they should know.

But it is confusing. The entire issue is confusing, and that is why I would not want to get caught up in it. Residency is so much easier, unless of ocurse people do not have the requisite funds here (one has to hsow some monies and an income. Maybe some over 60 are not yet on pensions but have other monies that means they can live o.K, Thenh I guess it would make sense of not applying for residency. Now I have probably confused the issue even more. But at the end of the day WHO DOYOU BELIEVE???

Marion I would sooner believe that the person in charge of issuing driving licences knows what is required to issue them. His/her knowledge on the subject is probably more recent than the immigration officer's. To use an analogy if you were applying for a passport would you accept what the passport office said about applying for a driving licence?

Oh, just forget it, Wish I hadn't bothered now!!

There are pl,enty of people that are glad you did Sophie. There is so much conflict here of ideas that people for get that this is NOT U.K. I remember renewing a driving license where the Lefkosia and the Girne offices gave two entirely different sets of rules. So even the horses mouth is unreliable.

What seems to be forgotten here but is spoken of loudly by BRS is that this over 60's thing is NOT written in law and is a kindness, and could be revoked any time. What you were told is what is being said AT THE MOMENT, but I for one would not rely on anything that was not written down, And even the written can be changed overnight.

But I thank you, Sophie for trying to get clarification and I am sure it was a great help to those over 60 who are seeking to find the truth on this issue.

I also thank you Sophie and have decided to renew our residency.

Great information post,

Despite all the above information my instincts tell me that it is safer to renew the temporary residency and cover all eventualities ( including a change in government). This way you are safely legal

Me and my husband went to-day to

re-new our residencies, we are well over 60

but would sooner re-new, rather than take any chances.

If we could get something written in our passports to say

we where exempt we wouldn't re-new

But until then we will keep paying out for it.

Sophie you are absolutely right. We were told the same thing last year. The man did say 'you do not need it but if it makes you sleep better at night, do it'
We were so geared up for it, so we did it, but now we have had time to think and reading about your experience and other peoples, we are not going to do it again. DEFINITELY

Me and my husband went to-day to

re-new our residencies, we are well over 60

but would sooner re-new, rather than take any chances.

If we could get something written in our passports to say

we where exempt we wouldn't re-new

But until then we will keep paying out for it.

I am still dithering about renewing mine next year, so has anyone who has not renewed gone across to the South for the day, and if so, was everything ok. Did customs say anything when leaving, and what about when coming back? Would love to hear from someone who has done that.

Mine expires in 5 days, I am not renewing mine. We go South a lot, will let you know next week.

The man at immigration also told me, if we had trouble, when crossing or travelling, to ask for the name of the border officer telling him that immigration asked us to report back.

But no one has anything in w riting do they.It is all that someone said. Dangerous game, I reckon.

Me too, I would continue with my residency. You simply cannot trust word of mouth there, even from someone who appears to have authority. They never sing from the same hymn-sheet.

Could this be the subject of an article in Cyprus Today? If they made the same enquiries as Sophie did so well to do, and published the same information, that would be excellent.

Er, excuse me Hector.l Why do you mention Cyprus Today on the KibKom Forum which has KibKom @Times????? Now I feel really hurt!