Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

A few swallows have arrived and asking me the procedure. I have advised join kibkom but if anyone could clarify the following information, especially the documentation is correct.

They are either kocan holders or buyers awaiting kocan

Thanking you in anticipation for your assistance.


Initial Registration
Foreigners who are over 60 years old who come to the island and want to apply for residency, must go the Ikamet Office on the Ground Floor of the Interior Ministry in Lefkosa, before their current visa expires.
Applicants will be required to complete a paper form with registration details.
Once your form and documents are submitted, Immigration will process your application and issue you with an exemption from residency. This will either be a stamp in your passport or a form which you should keep with your passport.The exemptionpermit will be approved and issued on the day of registration.

Form & Required Documents

Document Requirements
• Copy of passport photopage
• Muhtar’s letter (IkametBelgesi) – issued by your local muhtar with 7.9tl stamp attached.
• Title deeds for your property (Kocan) or Contract of sale with stamps showing that it has been registered at the land registry office and your permission to purchase (Council of Minister’s Application to obtain Title Deeds) reference details. If you purchased the property prior to 2022 this is a square of paper with a stamp and a reference number for your application. If you applied for permission to purchase after November 2022 then this will be an A4 sheet of paper with your reference number and a bar code.
o Note you must have paid > 1/3 of the purchase price, if you have not yet paid in full for your property
• Proof of Pension, either pension document or bank statements showing you receive a regular pension. If you do not receive a pension, then you may need to show you have some savings in a TRNC bank account.
• Marriage certificate if you are being sponsored by the Property owner or the Person named on the Rental/Tenancy agreement.
• Certificate of Population Registration Certificate (NufusKayıtı) Turkish citizens only
• Residency permit fee – 38.70tl stamp

There doesn't appear to be any information as to how many days before our Temporary Residency expires can we reapply for the 5 years over 60s exemption?

I read that you should go through to Lefkosa 3-4 days before your residency expires, no earlier, although can't remember wbere I got the info. If I come across it, will post.

Many thanks.

Be careful with this bit - "Marriage certificate if you are being sponsored by the Property owner or the Person named on the Rental/Tenancy agreement."

The - "Person named on the Rental/Tenancy agreement" - is not applicable for Property Owner residency and will only apply to High Income applicants once it has been published in the Resmi Gazete. Only God knows how long that will be before it happens, in the meantime High Income applicants will have to pay the full amount for residency under the existing rules.

One is single so assume ok
Four are married both over 60
One, his partner is under 60 and not on the kocan anyway

I am assuming I have given them the right advice on what they require to take with them.
Thank you

My understanding is that anyone under 60 cannot be on the 5 year exemption, even if sponsored.
You are expected to apply no more than 3 days before your current residency expires.

Has anyone been recently and will share their experiance.
Where is the office exactly,is it the old one in the corner looking over the car park?
Pre covid and online applications.
Thanks.

went friday and collected ours,not been for residency before,think it is the office bang across from the office you are talking about.
Their is a form on the door telling you what documents you need for the exemption,arrive early as when we left quite a queue developing.

phild wrote: ↑

Sun 08 Sep 2024 6:30 am

went friday and collected ours,not been for residency before,think it is the office bang across from the office you are talking about.
Their is a form on the door telling you what documents you need for the exemption,arrive early as when we left quite a queue developing.

Thanks,
is there a number allocation system?

No,had someone try to jump the queue but soon sorted that.

All done, didn't open office until after 8.30.
Two people in front then came an agent who tried to push in, NO CHANCE.

Documents submitted:- I gather if the house is not on the kocan there could be a problem or the tax not paid, I believe is the issue

1. Passport and a copy
2. Mukhtar letter with 7.2tl stamp
3. Copy of Contract of Sale
4. Copy of proof of payment for the property - Solicitors Invoice and corresponding UK Bank Statement (not required if you have Kocan)
5. Copy of proof of payment of relevant tax at Tapu (not required if you have Kocan)
6. Utility Bill for proof that the property exists (not required if you have Kocan)
7. Application to The Council of Ministers for Permission to Purchase - now available online by scanning the QR Code (not required if you have Kocan)
8. 38.7tl stamp
9. Copy of proof of income/pension - UK Bank Statement for 6 months (highlighted
Good Luck everyone.

Have been informed that if you do not have PTP then you will not get the 5 yr exemption

Tanky, if you read post 1 of this thread it states in the documents required that you need PTP before you apply

you only need to have applied for PTP and have your application form.

Tanky, you only have to show copies of the PTP paperwork showing that you have applied and are waiting for for permission to be granted

Trying to put together documents for over 60 application for wife and I prior to coming over. We have shared Kocan. Do we need to show separate incomes? BTW thanks snd1966 for sharing the list of docs required.

Thanks for your replies to my last re PTP. It would appear, as in many things these days to do with this subject, there is confusion. I have been informed by TFR that you must have your PTP, not proof of application or anything else. The actual PTP cert showing approval for one to go ahead with purchasing a property. I have PTP number etc etc but due to Army had it refused so NO 5 years for me.

They give you a small square piece of paper with a number on and stamp. You can’t get anything else believe me I tried and they said that all you need

Dropshort wrote: ↑

Tue 17 Sep 2024 1:46 pm

Trying to put together documents for over 60 application for wife and I prior to coming over. We have shared Kocan. Do we need to show separate incomes? BTW thanks snd1966 for sharing the list of docs required.

Even with both names on the kocan you can still sponsor your wife, or vice versa; we do

The p60, seems the easiest way to confirm an income.
The rest of the paperwork we had first visit. Lovely helpful lady. My friend actually had a typed letter for his PTP with a qr code. We were shown a square piece of paper as a guide but she accepted what he had but I had asked him to ask his advocate he needed it so maybe why it looked more official.

Much to my surprise, managed to get 5 year exemption certificate this morning, despite not having kocan. I was asked why and briefly explained builder problems. (Not going into all that here).

Was asked if I wanted exemption in passport or piece of paper. Opted for the latter, as my passport is due for renewal in 2026. Once exemption issued, I asked if I should go back when I got my new passport. No need as it was separate from passport. However, I would have had to, should I have asked for exemption in passport. Worth bearing in mind for those applying in the future, especially if passport due to expire before expiry date of certificate.

alphamike, thanks for that, most useful information. I hope it remains the same in 2026 when we will be eligible to apply as well - that on the basis that the law will allow us to as we are renters not owners! Time will tell.

You are very welcome Waddo. I'm very much for passing on info if it might be helpful to others. Interesting to note that you aren't told about this when making your choice, and am very glad that I asked. Next step will be getting some copies made and a smaller one or two laminated.

Let's hope that things are good for renters when you come to renew.

I think your haouse has to be on the Kocan………someone will correct me if I’m wrong pls

Ace123 wrote: ↑

Fri 10 Jan 2025 9:37 am

I think your haouse has to be on the Kocan………someone will correct me if I’m wrong pls

See alphamikes post 3 posts up.

Ace123 wrote: ↑

Fri 10 Jan 2025 9:37 am

I think your haouse has to be on the Kocan………someone will correct me if I’m wrong pls

I went a couple of months ago, had every piece of paperwork you could have however, because the house is not on the kocan got refused, no idea how the poster who got 5 yrs got theirs but well done, unless they have changed the rules?

There is a difference between having your house on the Kocan (Parcellisation/Freehold) and having a Kocan.

I honestly don't have a clue if they have relaxed the rules a bit recently, but not announced anything (that I have seen anyway). However, I have heard of a few cases recently, where exemptions had been granted with no kocan, and thought I'd at least give it a try. As we all know, things change here constantly, there are u-turns, so what was the case a couple of months ago, may or not be the case now. I'm just happy to have been given the exemption, one less thing to fret about for a while with the kocan business hanging over my head.

It could stop at any point …..as it did before For those lucky enough get it while you can

alphamike, Just been to renew membership with TFR and asked about exemption for renters - no such thing I was told! So thanks for the info again on the way to do the exemption, but it seems that TFR are only interested in home owners and that the Government has not done anything about renters. Bit sad really but we will just carry on and keep paying as normal after going to the Police station for the biannual grilling - lol. I guess that 15000tl we pay for our 2 years is similar to the 49tl a home owner pays for 5 years exemption but I can't really see how that works? Take care out there and enjoy your exemption! Maybe it's because we are the only renters left - lol?

Sorry Waddo, that is rotten luck, and very unfair. You'd think they would do something for people who have been here a long time, as you have. At least you don't have to show 3 times min wage now, as far as I am aware.
I wouldn't even have minded paying for 5 years, rather than faff about every 1 or 2 years. Of course, we all expected to have permanent by now, until they kept changing goalposts, and now permanent means only 2 years.

That's life matey, to be honest we have lived on the knife edge here for so long now that any sort of permanence is good, so now the rules have changed again and we only need to show 1 X Minimum wage or 12 X in savings in a local/UK bank, plus proof of age (apparently being doddery don't count - lol) and proof of pension income it's easy to do - so far. It's the lack of any organisation that is the sad part of the whole residency thing but after all this time we have learnt to give up a couple of days so we can stay another year or two - can't complain really but can't stop me moaning now I am approaching "Doddery" - lol. I too would be happy to pay 5 years up front - may not live that long anyway but what the heck, no worries there. Take life easy and enjoy yourself.

I have a couple of questions about this:

So you get your 5yr exemption with your passport number on it but your passport runs out in 2 years what happens then do you have to travel with your old passport in tow or will they update the form?

Also...

What happens after 5 years do you have to do the process again? and what if your situation changes ie for one reason or another you are not in the same property....as you have now come out of the actual official online residency process can you just drop back in, surely this has negative implications?

Techtrader, Immigration already told me that I didn't need to go back to get form updated with new passport details. No idea about whether to carry old passport, possibly you could have photo or copy of ID page. I hadn't thought about that when I was there.

Goodness knows what will happen after 5 years. Things change from day to day here, so not even hazarding a guess.
Your address is not written on the exemption certificate, so there is nothing to be changed on that front.

I'm not sure Ill bother to ask about 5 years exemption. When we are nearing 89 and 83 respectively it makes me think why bother. Lets face it, the family won't get a rebate!

benjaminbutton wrote: ↑

Thu 16 Jan 2025 12:05 pm

I'm not sure Ill bother to ask about 5 years exemption. When we are nearing 89 and 83 respectively it makes me think why bother. Lets face it, the family won't get a rebate!

5 year exemption is just stamp costs
If I had to do residency, I would apply and before my police appointment date or 3 days before my residency ran out, if I wondered if I qualified I would go and see with all the paperwork. All they can say is no and you then go to your police appointment.

BB you really have nothing to lose by trying. I went 4 days before mine expired, and if they had said no, would just have put in for police appointment when I got home.

benjaminbutton wrote: ↑

Thu 16 Jan 2025 12:05 pm

I'm not sure Ill bother to ask about 5 years exemption. When we are nearing 89 and 83 respectively it makes me think why bother. Lets face it, the family won't get a rebate!

While we were waiting to be seen at Girne police station they turned a couple away, saying they were over 60 so had to go to Lefkoşa.

snd1966 wrote: ↑

Thu 16 Jan 2025 3:27 pm

benjaminbutton wrote: ↑

Thu 16 Jan 2025 12:05 pm

I'm not sure Ill bother to ask about 5 years exemption. When we are nearing 89 and 83 respectively it makes me think why bother. Lets face it, the family won't get a rebate!

5 year exemption is just stamp costs
If I had to do residency, I would apply and before my police appointment date or 3 days before my residency ran out, if I wondered if I qualified I would go and see with all the paperwork. All they can say is no and you then go to your police appointment.

Dont know if its changed, but at the beginning they were saying you couldn't apply for an exemption if you'd already applied for residency.

At the beginning they also said the exemption would apply to renters as well but they were dealing with the home owners first! But it now seems that nobody cares about renters at all so it's back to normal rules apply for renters and different rules apply for home owners! No discrimination at all in this country!!! Worth remembering if you are selling your property with intent to rent and stay here.

kerry 6138 wrote: ↑

Fri 17 Jan 2025 9:18 am

snd1966 wrote: ↑

Thu 16 Jan 2025 3:27 pm

benjaminbutton wrote: ↑

Thu 16 Jan 2025 12:05 pm

I'm not sure Ill bother to ask about 5 years exemption. When we are nearing 89 and 83 respectively it makes me think why bother. Lets face it, the family won't get a rebate!

5 year exemption is just stamp costs
If I had to do residency, I would apply and before my police appointment date or 3 days before my residency ran out, if I wondered if I qualified I would go and see with all the paperwork. All they can say is no and you then go to your police appointment.

Dont know if its changed, but at the beginning they were saying you couldn't apply for an exemption if you'd already applied for residency.

My customer had but not got to her police appointment stage which I gather is the first time immigration know you exist. But also the wait for the police appointment isn't so long now and when the exemption came in people were months passed their expiry dates therefore had to continue down the police appointment route