Residency/financial worries.

13roman58 · Post by **13roman58** » Wed 25 Sep 2019 12:16 pm

I have put this at the end of a long heading so here it is by it self.
I do not have an income of 10,000tl per month.
Went this morning for residency.
I already had included UK bank account details and P60. at the police station

These were scrutinised and I had to explain them.These were then highlighted.
All done.

come_on_aylin · Post by **come_on_aylin** » Wed 25 Sep 2019 12:40 pm

13roman58, did they say how much they expect you to have?

I just checked on BRS website and it says you need to be able to show a balance equivalent to £10000 (approx. 70,000TL) per person. I appreciate that this may be out if date but when did the requirements change from approx 6000TL to 10000TL a month (or even more according to a previous post). Is it fact or just some jobs worth at the police station /immigration office? How do we find out if it's a genuine requirement?

13roman58 · Post by **13roman58** » Wed 25 Sep 2019 12:55 pm

Hì,they didn't stipulate an amount and I didn't ask the question.
I had to show where on my UK account the pension payments and explain the P60. Both pieces of paper then were highlighted.
Sorry can't really help otherwise.

sophie · Post by **sophie** » Wed 25 Sep 2019 1:32 pm

Dear Lord, I didn't even think that a local would recognise a P60 if it came up and hit them on the nose. At this rate, it would appear that my husband and myself, (both retired) who live a very fruitful life, by the standard of the workers we employ e.g. painters, gardeners, cleaners, pool cleaners, window cleaners etc all of whom we pay on a regular basis, that we are no longer able to financially live here. We pay dentists, hospitals, eye clinics, ear clinics, the list goes on, and yet if what I read on this Forum, we are no longer in a financial position to live here. What a load of total bollocks!!!

13roman58 · Post by **13roman58** » Wed 25 Sep 2019 1:44 pm

Hi Sophie, I did explain at the beginning that I do not have an income of 10,000tl a month as posted on another message,

The reason I posted this was to inform people that my application was accepted with less .

I think it is as always bullsh*t baffles brains as I just gave them as much paper work as I could generate, to confuse the issue.

sophie · Post by **sophie** » Wed 25 Sep 2019 2:48 pm

Yes 13roman58, I did realise that but I still think your experience deserved a comment.

teatime · Post by **teatime** » Wed 25 Sep 2019 3:55 pm

A person I know asked what the requirements were in the immigration office and the lady wrote it down for him. It was that you have to show you have either 10,000tl per month coming in or you have 120,000tl in a TRNC bank account.

alphamike · Post by **alphamike** » Wed 25 Sep 2019 5:02 pm

I bookmarked an article a few weeks ago, meaning to post it, but forgot. It doesn't mention figures, but is a complaint about how foreigners to this country cannot be expected to comply with these new rules.

https://www.kibrisgazetesi.com/kibris/i ... 73823.html

Translation using Google (which is not great) :-

Zaroğol in a written statement, Visas and Residence Regulations ", mainly citizens of the Republic of Turkey, TRNC to foreign nationals who come to make torture a single word" suggested that he prepared. Oğlu It is never possible to say that the drafters of this charter are well-intentioned, Zar Zaroglu said. However, under the pretext of controlling the entry and exit of the country, an understanding that sees every investor and working person as a potential criminal is not presented as reform. Reform Zaroğlu also gave some examples:; For example; According to the new regulation, an investor arriving in the country shall be granted a residence permit (visa) for a maximum of 1 month upon entry. If he wants to continue his work, he will have to leave the country at the end of 30 days and come back again. E.g; And the remaining 90 days of a person from the country, which is also included citizens of the Republic of Turkey. In order to be able to come back to TRNC, it is necessary to spend 90 days in the country, that is, as long as it stays in TRNC. And again, for example; If the spouses who buy housing in the TRNC have bought this housing jointly, only one of them will be granted a residence permit and the other will take care of themselves (!). Only a few of the family members of the families of persons with work permits, who are limited in the statute, can stay here, but will have to certify that they have several times the minimum wage. Thanks to this regulation, even people over the age of 60 will stop spending what they earn here in their own country, because within the first three years, they will necessarily enter the residence permit every year. ” Interior Minister Ayşegül Baybars and the government also criticized Zaroğlu, YDP said that it is not possible to adopt this regulation. Imiz Our party, the draft of this charter, the Minister of the Interior and the Council of Ministers that approve this charter, the public has made it a mission to complain to him, Zar said Zaroglu, said the lawyers began to work for the cancellation of this regulation.

come_on_aylin · Post by **come_on_aylin** » Wed 25 Sep 2019 7:01 pm

Alphamike, I saw that too which made me think that no law has been passed yet. However, it seems like the authorities involved in the 'residency' process are behaving as if it is law.

thickey · Post by **thickey** » Fri 27 Sep 2019 4:59 pm

Is this 10000 tl per person or couple?

waddo · Post by **waddo** » Fri 27 Sep 2019 5:26 pm

Watch the local papers - this "New Law" has not yet passed parliament here and is under a lot of pressure by other party's as it is very discriminatory against non Cypriots. Anything that the immigration authorities are imposing at the moment is just something they have dreamed up might be happening. I would imagine that the BRS are well aware of this but as I still can not get any answer to any email from them I have no idea if they are even involved anymore.

stereotomy · Post by **stereotomy** » Sat 28 Sep 2019 4:00 am

I really don't undertsand what these people are trying to achieve. They have lost their reason totally.

I'd better move to Antalya, Bodrum or some other place in Turkey and enjoy cheap housing, welcoming people and cheaper living.

I hope they pass this law or regulation or whatever it is. That'd be an excuse to move out.

waddo · Post by **waddo** » Sat 28 Sep 2019 6:55 am

This reminds me of the new law on car license plates and all the confusion that occurred over that mess - how many times did people change their plates for all white and then to white with embossed numbers before things settled down? I will wait and be Cypriot by doing nothing till it changes or not! It seems to be the only thing to do as nobody has (or is willing to give) any positive information on the subject.

Reyntj · Post by **Reyntj** » Sat 28 Sep 2019 12:18 pm

Im guessing the new laws are mostly aimed at illegal workers and lets face it minimising the size of the population here . Increasing the amount of income required to live on is understandable . They only want people to live here who can contribute significantly to the economy. There arent many expats moving here now anyway . Any uk retiree who is on a final salary scheme ie teacher nurse etcetc couoled with the satate pension will likley meet the income requirement. £20000 is not an unreasonable amount ti request as a fxed sum if you dont ahve taht amount its questionable if its wise to live in a fireign non eu country with no free health service etc. in the uk if you have less than £15000 in cash you can claim various benefits ie you are deemed poor. North cyprus historically has been a destination for bargain hunters and many if the expatshere are correspondingly not wealthy .

EnjoyingTheSun · Post by **EnjoyingTheSun** » Sat 28 Sep 2019 12:42 pm

waddo wrote:Watch the local papers - this "New Law" has not yet passed parliament here and is under a lot of pressure by other party's as it is very discriminatory against non Cypriots. Anything that the immigration authorities are imposing at the moment is just something they have dreamed up might be happening. I would imagine that the BRS are well aware of this but as I still can not get any answer to any email from them I have no idea if they are even involved anymore.

I thought the government was very pro British expats?

PoshinDevon · Post by **PoshinDevon** » Sat 28 Sep 2019 12:52 pm

Personally speaking nothing has been fully ratified as yet and as this is North Cyprus things will no doubt change. I am going to wait until things are much clearer around the rules/regulations, amount of funds needed, costs etc.

In the meantime it’s time to relax and enjoy all that North Cyprus has to offer.

Deniz1 · Post by **Deniz1** » Sat 28 Sep 2019 3:06 pm

So what would happen to me then I dont have that amount in the bank live here on my state pension quite comfortably own my house and am not in debt to anyone. No place in the uk to go back to.

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Sat 28 Sep 2019 3:16 pm

Deniz1 wrote:So what would happen to me then I dont have that amount in the bank live here on my state pension quite comfortably own my house and am not in debt to anyone. No place in the uk to go back to.

I think that the answer to that is 'No one knows'!

Given that you have an asset (the house) you might be able to argue that it is the equivalent of 'money in the Bank' - i.e. if ever you were in really tight financial circumstances, then you could realise the value of the asset by selling it...

You probably know enough people here that there would be a local who would argue your case for you!

PoshinDevon · Post by **PoshinDevon** » Sat 28 Sep 2019 3:27 pm

Still think things are very fluid especially around what funds/income etc may or may not be needed.

Hopefully once the regulations are official things will be much clearer. In the meantime as they say so often.... it’s no problem.... this is Cyprus.

EnjoyingTheSun · Post by **EnjoyingTheSun** » Sat 28 Sep 2019 3:30 pm

I think this is one of those classic situations when everyone gets themselves in a state wondering what the plan is. Once you realise they don't really have a plan and are making it up as they go along then you will probably relax more.

Mowgli597 · Post by **Mowgli597** » Sat 28 Sep 2019 3:42 pm

I don’t know if this helps or hinders:

New visa and residence regulations for the TRNC will come into force on October, 23, Minister of the Interior, Ayşegül Baybars has said.

She noted that it was the first time in 67 years that the government had introduced new by-laws to control the population and plan for the future for health and education in the country.

The new system will require tourists and other visitors to register their information and state the purpose of their visit at immigration.

“What we really want to do is come up with a system where tourists will enter their new addresses and phone numbers to be registered with the tourist visa upon arrival and will be classified according to the purposes of their stay, that is, accommodation at the hotel or any other nearby accommodation.

There are 18 different categories just like the rest of the world. Categories included will be entering the country for study, teaching, internship, work and so on.”

Regarding residency, the minister said that visitors will no longer be allowed to stay more than 90 days and will be required to get a residence permit before the 90 days expires or they must leave the country.

Baybars said she was hoping that by November, it would be possible to apply for residence permits online.

She added that leaflets would be available at entrance and exit points in the country.

BR

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Sat 28 Sep 2019 3:47 pm

Mowgli597 wrote:I don’t know if this helps...

No! Not at all!

PoshinDevon · Post by **PoshinDevon** » Sat 28 Sep 2019 4:19 pm

At least the announcement gives a couple of dates and mentions the many different categories. No real detail of what is required to stay over the 90 days for those under or over 60.

Slowly slowly.

SussexBoy · Post by **SussexBoy** » Sun 29 Sep 2019 11:43 am

I wonder what form of visa for tourists will be required or what delays will be caused at airports and border crossings. The old paper visas were bad enough. You would arrive at Ercan and there would be a scramble to find one. Often there would be none at all and an official would have to go off to find some. When you did get hold of one, your next problem was finding a pen to fill in the required details. As a swallow, I got fed up with this, produced my own identical forms, and completed them before I left the UK. It was also much easier than having to fill in the forms, handed to you by a taxi driver, when flying over rough roads heading for the Beyarmudu border crossing.

Dalartokat · Post by **Dalartokat** » Sun 29 Sep 2019 11:55 am

Surely by the time it’s in place it will be an e visa.

SussexBoy · Post by **SussexBoy** » Sun 29 Sep 2019 12:11 pm

If the cost for an e-visa was the same as in Turkey (i.e. £29.95 each), this would be expensive for families and could deter tourists.

jofra · Post by **jofra** » Sun 29 Sep 2019 12:47 pm

SussexBoy wrote:... As a swallow, I got fed up with this, produced my own identical forms, and completed them before I left the UK. It was also much easier than having to fill in the forms, handed to you by a taxi driver, when flying over rough roads heading for the Beyarmudu border crossing.

Ditto; except in our case also (usually) in the dark of night, heading to Metehan...

waz-24-7 · Post by **waz-24-7** » Sun 29 Sep 2019 2:15 pm

As the UK moves into its "take back control" mentality.
One would naturally expect other countries to do like wise following the likes of the USA and UK.

Having recently had to apply for Visa across the Globe I can say that it is getting more difficult, costly and time consuming.
Average hours to cross a border in a car was 2 hours.
For the first time ever in the USA I was forced to show current bank statements, place of residence and onward travel plans. That was after securing the necessary e visa.
In Spain only last week I saw a definite level of displeasure against UK citizens wishing to work in that country.

Northern Cyprus and Cyprus in general is not the Island of freedoms that it has been.

EnjoyingTheSun · Post by **EnjoyingTheSun** » Mon 30 Sep 2019 9:13 am

waz-24-7 wrote:As the UK moves into its "take back control" mentality.
One would naturally expect other countries to do like wise following the likes of the USA and UK.

Having recently had to apply for Visa across the Globe I can say that it is getting more difficult, costly and time consuming.
Average hours to cross a border in a car was 2 hours.
For the first time ever in the USA I was forced to show current bank statements, place of residence and onward travel plans. That was after securing the necessary e visa.
In Spain only last week I saw a definite level of displeasure against UK citizens wishing to work in that country.

Northern Cyprus and Cyprus in general is not the Island of freedoms that it has been.

Reyntj · Post by **Reyntj** » Mon 30 Sep 2019 11:58 am

Anyway dont worry there is a simple solutiion if you dont meet the criteria just register for a cheap education course its what half the nigerians do ! It seems you can atay indefinately then

Deniz1 · Post by **Deniz1** » Wed 02 Oct 2019 11:08 am

After reading in the paper and on here I think that over 60s dont need to do the blood test route well my friends started the process yesterday both over 60 and spent best part of the day going to hospitals for blood tests banks to pay the money and trying to get three signatures on the muhtars letter and twp trips to the police station. They are quite fit and able but what about those that arent?

waddo · Post by **waddo** » Wed 02 Oct 2019 11:19 am

Deniz1, As it is not passed into law yet I think they are treating everybody - regardless of age - as first time register for residency. The old law - still in being - states that as well, regardless of age the first time you apply for residency then you need to go through the whole procedure but once over 60 years of age "and have already registered" the tests etc are no longer required. Problem there is that a lot of people who have arrived here at age over 60 have taken it that they don't need to apply at all!!!

It will be interesting when the actual law number (1 to 18) is published so we all know what we are doing. Again I have emailed the liason at BRS and again I get no response at all - must be on holiday!

tomsteel · Post by **tomsteel** » Wed 02 Oct 2019 11:47 am

Deniz1 wrote:After reading in the paper and on here I think that over 60s dont need to do the blood test route well my friends started the process yesterday both over 60 and spent best part of the day going to hospitals for blood tests banks to pay the money and trying to get three signatures on the muhtars letter and twp trips to the police station. They are quite fit and able but what about those that arent?

Was this your first-ever (initial) application for your 'visitor' status permission to stay in the TRNC for more than 90 continuous days?

Chriswright03 · Post by **Chriswright03** » Wed 02 Oct 2019 4:20 pm

Nothing, I repeat nothing is set in stone yet. As stated elsewhere the 'regualtions' not laws don't come into effect at least (may be later) until the 23rd of this month. If you apply now you are applying under the existing rules and not the new proposed ones. Hence you may still have to jump through the various hoops as before.

Deniz1 · Post by **Deniz1** » Thu 03 Oct 2019 4:56 am

Read my post it was not me applying. As to your question I dont know.

Chriswright03 · Post by **Chriswright03** » Thu 03 Oct 2019 6:03 am

Deniz1 wrote:Read my post it was not me applying. As to your question I dont know.

Not sure who that is directed at Waddo or me but.......................... fact remains if anyone applies at the moment they are applying under the old rules so will be expected to do blood tests and any other running about as ever. Why apply now if nothing has changed? Baffles me.

Mimi2 · Post by **Mimi2** » Thu 03 Oct 2019 6:31 am

There is the suggestion of a online registration for over 60's. So wait and see. Yavas Yavas!!!

Deniz1 · Post by **Deniz1** » Thu 03 Oct 2019 7:16 am

I was replying to Tomsteel

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Thu 03 Oct 2019 7:45 am

Chriswright03 wrote:
Deniz1 wrote:Read my post it was not me applying. As to your question I dont know.
Not sure who that is directed at Waddo or me but.......................... fact remains if anyone applies at the moment they are applying under the old rules so will be expected to do blood tests and any other running about as ever. Why apply now if nothing has changed? Baffles me.

It somewhat baffles me also - the only way that they could have got started on the 'Blood tests / paying at the Bank route' is by starting off at the Police Station, and following instructions from there, whereas being over 60, they should have gone direct to the 'residency Office' at the Interior Ministry in Lefkosia, where the process takes about 15 minutes start to finish (once your number comes up, that is).

Unless it was actually their 'first time', but as Chriswright03 says, why on earth would you start the process for the first time before the newly announced system is up and running, when all you had to do under the old 'handshake agreement' was nothing?

It doesn't really make much sense to me...

Deniz1 · Post by **Deniz1** » Thu 03 Oct 2019 10:50 am

Me either!

tomsteel · Post by **tomsteel** » Thu 03 Oct 2019 10:53 am

Deniz1 wrote:I was replying to Tomsteel

OK, was it their first application then?

Hector · Post by **Hector** » Sat 05 Oct 2019 12:55 pm

Cyprus Today front page under headline Residency Ambiguity 'A full public communications campaign should be launched to make foreign TRNC residents aware of rule changes due to come into effect on October 23, the head of the British Residents Society has said...The changes will mean that a previous "gentleman's agreement", which exempted expat property owners over 60 from having to apply for residency permits, will be scrapped.

Foreign residents will now have to apply for permits on an annual basis if they are under 60. Over 60's will have to obtain a "temporary " 12-month permit, followed by a second application, which will also be valid for a year, said Immigration head Emre Hacilar, who was present at the meeting between the BRS and Mrs Baybars. After that, residency permits will be valid for 2 years he said.
However "ambiguities" remain over how the process will work in practice, according to Wilkins [BRS Chairman]. "We met with Mrs Baybars and [Mr] Hacilar where we discussed the concerns of the [British Expat] community Mr Wilkins said. "We have expressed our concern as to why medical checks will be required.. even if we appreciate that the first application could be seen as justified. We are also raised concern at the 400tl [fee] for a temporary residency [permit] which we see as expensive"
No such campaign work has been done he said. We are trying to ascertain the facts, however, we are still unsure how this new system is going to work, how applications are going to be made, whether health check requirements will be needed for every application and when people can be eligible for permanent residency...'

Sadly, this only reinforces that our long visits (total 5-6 months) to the TRNC each year as age 60+ swallows are coming to an end. We will not apply for temporary residency. On top of this, if entry to the RoC is also restricted to the same 90 days in 180 days limit ruling under Brexit then that only adds to the need to sell up asap and no longer visit the TRNC.

PoshinDevon · Post by **PoshinDevon** » Sat 05 Oct 2019 1:22 pm

We are also swallows who spend between 4-6 mths a year in the TRNC. Before reaching the magic 60 number we applied every year for the temporary visa thus allowing us a years stay. It wasn’t that difficult a process providing you accepted that this is North Cyprus. The mukhtars letter, police checks, medical checks could all be completed in a morning. Return a few weeks later to collect the medical check paperwork and then a morning in Lefkosa for the final piece of the jigsaw. Not that difficult really. In fact when going to Lefkosa we made it a day out.....visit immigration, complete the formalities, into town, a nice lunch, wander around before heading back home.

Once we hit the magic 60 number and understood a little about the “gentlemen’s agreement” we decided not to continue the above process. However; if and when the new regulations are clarified we will of course comply. It might be a slightly easier process ....I.e. we go direct to immigration in Lefkosa with all paperwork, we may not need a medical, we may be able to do it on line or it might be a similar process to that already in place, Whatever it is in due course we will find out. I don’t understand why some people would not want to comply especially if they enjoy the TRNC as we do. Is it the medical? Is it the financial side of things? Is it the minor inconvenience of having to spend perhaps a couple of mornings going thro the process? Or is it the costs involved, which really is not very much when you work it out as a daily rate.

Each to their own but to just say we are not doing it and are looking to sell and leave seems a strange decision especially when the new regulations for the over 60s are not yet set in stone.

Deniz1 · Post by **Deniz1** » Sat 05 Oct 2019 1:27 pm

After reading the BRS comments in Cyprus today im not so sure about it being less complicated. Its seems worse than before. No clarification on how long we have to get it done. no mention of a year. Maybe able to do it on line. Thats a laugh.

PoshinDevon · Post by **PoshinDevon** » Sat 05 Oct 2019 1:51 pm

Deniz1 wrote:After reading the BRS comments in Cyprus today im not so sure about it being less complicated. Its seems worse than before. No clarification on how long we have to get it done. no mention of a year. Maybe able to do it on line. Thats a laugh.

No clarification yet. That’s why we take the “yavas, yavas” theory. Eventually the process and requirements will be known and at the moment anything we read or hear is taken with a huge pinch of salt......it may be trial and error to start with but it will eventually be the norm..... as for on line, of course we will all sit and laugh at this suggestion but you never know.

Even if the process for over 60s remains the same as what is in place now it really is not that difficult or complicated. Personally I have jumped thro many worse hoops trying to sort things in the U.K. I just don’t think at this moment in time it’s something to get excited about. Just get into the Cyprus way and let things muddle there way thro.

Deniz1 · Post by **Deniz1** » Sat 05 Oct 2019 3:23 pm

The way i read it everyone will have to have health checks and the visa will only be valid for a year.

PoshinDevon · Post by **PoshinDevon** » Sat 05 Oct 2019 4:09 pm

Deniz1 wrote:The way i read it everyone will have to have health checks and the visa will only be valid for a year.

Maybe that is correct but then again maybe it isn’t. Even if it was, is it really that inconvenient? The existing process, providing you have all the correct paperwork can be done in a couple of mornings. At the moment the cost when you factor it back over the number of days in a year is very reasonable. Of course no one likes paying out money, but there are many countries throughout the world that have similar regulations that require registration etc should you want to stay over and above the normal 90 days.

It seems to me that nothing as yet is set in stone and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if things are not as we are reading.

Reyntj · Post by **Reyntj** » Sat 05 Oct 2019 6:18 pm

Some people on here should apply for a reality check! Im a britsih citizen but my wife is not . If she wants to travel to the uk she needs a visa which is. A lengthy application form and requires a lot of documents to be sent. It costs £93 so considerably more than here . This is only for a six month visa ! People are lucky that north cyprus doesnt adopt as a stringent regime as the uk i know where id rather live .

You cant move to the uk and buy a house and expect to freely come and go can you ! So why should it be any different here.

Ive juat checked and the fee for a visa in the uk for greater than 6 months but less than 2 years is £350,! About 2500 tl and people are moaning about 400 tl and leaving the country ! Good luck you have my best wishes

frontalman · Post by **frontalman** » Sat 05 Oct 2019 6:32 pm

Reyntj wrote:Some people on here should apply for a reality check! Im a britsih citizen but my wife is not . If she wants to travel to the uk she needs a visa which is. A lengthy application form and requires a lot of documents to be sent. It costs £93 so considerably more than here . This is only for a six month visa ! People are lucky that north cyprus doesnt adopt as a stringent regime as the uk i know where id rather live .

You cant move to the uk and buy a house and expect to freely come and go can you ! So why should it be any different here.

Ive juat checked and the fee for a visa in the uk fir greater than 6 months but less than 2 yaers is £350,! About 2500 tl and people are moaning about 400 tl and leaving the country ! Good luck you have my best wishes

Yes, but up until now things have been free and easy with no hassle, so that's the comparison. Your argument is like saying "You're lucky your wife was only beaten up and hospitalised, mine was murdered."

tomsteel · Post by **tomsteel** » Sat 05 Oct 2019 6:34 pm

Reyntj wrote:Some people on here should apply for a reality check! Im a britsih citizen but my wife is not . If she wants to travel to the uk she needs a visa which is. A lengthy application form and requires a lot of documents to be sent. It costs £93 so considerably more than here . This is only for a six month visa ! People are lucky that north cyprus doesnt adopt as a stringent regime as the uk i know where id rather live .

You cant move to the uk and buy a house and expect to freely come and go can you ! So why should it be any different here.

Ive juat checked and the fee for a visa in the uk for greater than 6 months but less than 2 years is £350,! About 2500 tl and people are moaning about 400 tl and leaving the country ! Good luck you have my best wishes

Are you seriously trying to convince posters that immigrants from outside of the UK are coughing up £350 for visas to be there? Where is the money coming from?

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