Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Do we get a year to do our residency or not?
Why are residents getting just 30 days when crossing the border, not the 90 as stated in the new rules?

From BRS TRNC Residency News Update at 1st November 2019 from the BRS
Those UK Citizens who are over 60 years of age have up to one year to complete the process to obtain Residency.

The Minister understood that there had been issues at the borders with Immigration Officers only giving a 30-day visa but stated that no-one would be fined or penalised should they exceed this limit.

We have been assured that the Immigration Officers and Police have been informed to be lenient during the transition period and we have seen a document which confirms this fact.

From North Cyprus Expats Group (Facebook)
thank you for your responses to peoples questions. My wife and I went south on 15th October and on returning were given just 30 days. From reading the Cyprus Today newspaper does this mean we can just ignore the 30 days as long as we get our residency within a year? We are both over 60 and rent a property here. Thankyou.
Uğur Çulhaoğlu Yes (Government Immigration Lawyer)

From Cyprus Today November 2nd:
“Mr Wilkins (BRS Chairman) said that there would be “no more border-hopping for extensions of tourist visas” and advised any expats “currently on a 30 or 90 day tourist visa close to expiry not to leave the TRNC before registering for residency”

The message from the BRS in the Cyprus Today newspaper certainly seems to contradict the statement put out by the minister in charge of the new regulations. The minister has clearly stated and confirmed in a BRS communication that over 60s should not be concerned and despite what they are being told at the border they do have a year to sort out residency (Until Oct 2020). Furthermore she also stated that border officials have been told to be lenient whilst the new regulations come into force.

So if you are over 60 and cross the border to exit the TRNC and then return a day, week or months later and get 30, 60 or even a 90 day visa (If of course you can prove you own a property......how that is done is anyone’s guess) does one still presume you have until Oct 2020 to sort out residency?

No wonder confusion reigns.

I posted this previously on another thread: "Update! We are now sat in MacDonalds having coffee. Before we crossed I went to talk to the Police Officer in charge and asked if I would be given 30 days on the return! He said NO, rules have changed again and as our permits were valid till September next year we were free to go backwards and forwards until our permits expired! Thanked him and said if we are given 30 days upon return I would come back to him to sort it out, he said Problem Yok!" - We returned later in the day and things were as they were for us before the 23rd of October!!!

Just to be sure, we are also over 60 and also rent a property her, having done so for the past 9 years and having lived here permanently for the past 12 years! In the three years missing we lived in our own "Leased" property. Having visited all available websites, had questions answered by the Ministry Solicitors and also read answers (from the Ministry) to questions posed by other expats here, I have come to the conclusion - vindicated by our experiences at Metahan crossing point - that provided that a). You are over 60 & b). You have an existing and valid Temp Residency (visitors) stamp in your passport. Then c), you are free to cross and return without hindrance or penalty! This we have proven already!

I am concerned by conflicting statements from CT and BRS and inaccurate reporting of facts and figures by both and recommend that you peruse the available Government Ministry websites and decide for yourself if you are free to cross/return - THEN BEFORE - you attempt to cross contact the senior police official at whichever crossing point you have chosen and verify for yourself. To me that seems to be the only way forward at this time.

Property ownership is not a factor if you already hold valid and current Temp Residency (Visitor), it only becomes a factor when you register which, despite what the BRS say, as the current law states that you must apply to renew/register within a period of 60 days prior to or 20 days past the expiry date of your current permit.

We are fortunate in that our current permits expire in Sept 2020 because I can see a problem arising already for those whose permits expire post 22nd October 2020 as the Ministry have expressly stated that "You have until 22nd Oct to register" and I think that it is all in that one word "register" that the situation for them will become clear as time moves on.

Whilst I have nothing against either swallows or property owners I am dismayed that there is little information regarding renters available, but from investigations (not yet proven as fact), I feel that renters simply follow the same rules for registering as the other two groups with the exception of having to provide proof of higher income.

Hope some of this helps but more so, that is does not confuse!!