New members of the Cyprus forum, introduce yourselves here - 2023

@Julien

Hi Julian

Thank you for the warm welcome.

My name is Ann, I am a retired nurse. My husband and I have been going on holiday to Cyprus for over 20 years, we both love it and are planning to retire to Paphos from the UK. We are going to Paphos on holiday at the end of March and we will do some research on renting properties etc.

I was hoping that someone may be able to offer some advice on the our situation. I have a EU passport, my husband has a UK passport. Has anyone in a similar situation gone through the immigrant process?

I would very much appreciate any advice regarding the immigration process and moving to Cyprus.

Thank  you.

Much easier with an EU spouse for sure ....

Ann

Cant help on the eu front but as Toon says it should be easier for you than us Brits.

What I can say is be prepared for a slow process. If you need to see immigration you will find it hard to get an appointment unless you use a local company to help as they seem to make appointments and then allocate client to them. If you need to open a local bank account it has taken me 4 weeks to get an appointment and you need to check the documents (they will require loads) before attending or they just send you away and you need to make another appointment. The bank ask for some strange documents like a CV's. As well as the obvious like previous bank statements, P60/P45, copy pay slips for a year, Tax returns and proof of a funds to deposit. This seems to differ from 5k to 30k. The rental market has gone up a lot since I started looking in Sept 2022. Obviously depends what you want and where. When you do get a rental agreement make sure it has stamp duty paid by the owner if the rent is over 5k pa. I expect you will need this as part of your immigration application. Check the Cyprus immigration web sites in other posts here to see what docs you need to arrange. Some like police certification will be best obtained before leaving the UK as the Cypriot immigration need these apostle! It will all be worth it but is a bit frustrating while going thru it. I hope you have an easier ride being part EU lol. Feel free to ask any more questions as everyone here has been thru it at some stage. I was not aware that just about all property for rent and some for sale come completely furnished so think carefully about any property you want to bring from the UK as you might not fit it all in the new house! Owners do not like to empty their houses and you will inherit not only furniture but pots, linen, and in my case shoes and house coats lol. You can always ask to have the house empty and you might be lucky.

If you bring a vehicle over 5 years old there are more hoops to jump thru to transfer registration. I have been here 2 months and making some progress but slow. Some people have been waiting for 11 months to get their yellow slip. It might be faster if you are going for a pink slip.

When do you expect to make the move?

It is without doubt easier to find furnished rented accommodation... Unfurnished properties are rarer than hen's teeth....

I agree with Phils overview of formalities.. it is very slow and can be frustrating.. It was considerably easier for us as Brits whilst still in the EU..9 years ago. But in my opinion I would definitely consider using an agent to deal with the formalities as they take a lot of anxiety and frustration out of the process .

Hi All, I am a South African born Greek Cypriot living in South Africa, Cape Town. My family and I are wanting to make a move to Cyprus, We all work online and are able to work remotely provided we have high speed internet (Fiber Connectivity). We have been looking into Paphos. We have a planned trip in April/May this year and will be looking at the entire Island. Our plan is to come over end of 2023 and rent initially and see from there, we look forward to making some good friendships and living the Cypriot Life. Jason, Tamara & Isabelle

On the internet front be careful where you look to live. Fibre is being rolled out and there are a number of well covered places. Do not be drawn into a property with copper on the promise of fibre coming next month as the roll out is slow and never can be relied on. When you view property check the already installed router and make sure it has fibre. Speeds range from 100mb/40mb to 1gb depending on what you want to pay. I have 100/40 fibre for 14.99 euro 1st year half price 2 year contract.

@phildraper Thank you so much for the advice! i will definitely keep that in mind. Which provider should i be looking at?

Regards,

Jason

I concur with Phil Cyprus business promises aren't worth much am afraid ... It's such  shame.

I would avoid Cyta as they are more expensive and not efficient. Primetel is who I used and they were still a bit tardy but got the job done and when they said they would. It took 3 weeks for the installation to happen and 20 mins for the house install and setup. You will probably be taking over an existing connection so probably faster if you stay with the same provider. Check how long if you change. Also Primetel can be setup completely on line using their web site most others seem to need a physical visit to the shop!. You will need a massive number of documents to submit. Passport, rental agreement, title deeds to mention a few but it seems to change every week lol Just be prepared to have a longer than expected wait. We used mobile phone data connection while waiting and that was a high cost with slow speed! Therefore recommend you check the mobile data speed at the property if you find one just so you know what to expect.

@phildraper I have to disagree with you on Cyta been with cyta for 9 years now and wouldn't use anyone else.... They've never failed me and I've moved here four times and found in my experiences to be really efficient and polite. Their service is reliable and stable ...My only gripe if you can call it that is the availability of fibre in my area .. not likely to be available until 2024.. luckily I have 80-100mbps now don't really need it butt will have it when it arrives

Interestingly primetel use Cyta networks.

you also have to remember as a new arrival they dont know you and most will ask for ID etc... .. when you move around as I did it t was quick and easy  no hassles no extra installs. And second services when needed wre done fast and efficiently

@phildraper  thank you!

Toon as we all know it differs each time for each person lol The only constant is change for sure. Cyta were asking for 49.00 euro and thought, like you said, fibre was not available here. Always worth trying all options as I did but in my situation Cyta did not work out.

Primetel do exactly the same as the UK providers and use the backbone of the major carrier.

One other thing to mention is the speed is as per their agreement. However, going to the UK as I need to is much slower. This could be a Cyprus thing or it might be Primetel. No way to know as impossible to perform a comparison. Might be worth having a few people here with differing providers run the same speed tests to the UK as a comparison. Happy to help is anyone else wants to join in :-)

@phildraper

Thank you very much for your reply, the information is very helpful.

We are in Paphos at the end of March for a month to do some further research.

looking forward to some warmer weather. 🌞

@phildraper horses for courses ...  There are plenty of providers. ecotech cosmos to name two  who appear to be building a good reputation... I accept primetel do offer what you say.... And it's likely because of the cyta fibre infrastructure available in your location network .. I do wonder why there should be such a price difference.. I am loathe to change as we have had fab reliable service with Cyta over 9 years...

@Toon

My deal is half price for the 1st year and a 2 year deal. You could speak with Cyta and tell them you need a better price as you are a long standing customer. BT do deals in the UK so Cyta might. Always worth a try

Welcome to the forum.... I invite you to create separate questions under specific topics to get more focused replies....

Hello everyone,

My name is William and I am new to the Cyprus forum. I recently moved to Cyprus from the UK and I am excited to start this new chapter of my life. The decision to move to Cyprus was not an easy one, but I am looking forward to exploring this beautiful country and experiencing all that it has to offer. As an expat, I understand the challenges that come with moving to a new country, and I am eager to connect with others who are going through the same journey. I am open to learning about the local culture, making new friends, and discovering hidden gems around the island. I am grateful for the warm welcome and I look forward to connecting with you all. Thank you!

Welcome on board William !

Hope you will enjoy this new chapter in your life.

All the very best

Bhavna

@Julien

Hi

My husband and I are retiring to Cyprus; We recently purchased a property but haven’t moved in and we’re a little confused about the entry requirements for immigration

Do you now need a DBS ( Disclosure Barring Service) Certificate and does it need to be APOSTILLED)?

I have an Irish passport as well as UK and my husband is UK though applying for Cypriot Citizenship.

Dont know if anyone could possibly help with what we require?

Thanks

@bneophitou you cannot apply for Cyprus citizenship unless you have lived here legally for 5+1 years or 4+1 years if you can speak greek. Or you have lots of money.

I think you mean residency. AS citizenship is different

The requirements for both EU yellow slips and Non-EU pink slips residency are on the cy gov website

CITIZENSHIP

http://www.moi.gov.cy/moi/crmd/crmd.nsf … enDocument

RESIDENCY

http://www.moi.gov.cy/moi/crmd/crmd.nsf … enDocument

If you have an EU passport and thus an EU national then the process is easier... And your other half should apply at same time as a family member of an EU National....and as such immigration must treat both of you the same way

@Julien

Hello, we are aretired Canadian Couple visiting Cyprus at the moment to investigate moving here.  We would like to connect with Toon while we are in the Paphos area at the end of April.  How do we send a private message?

Thank you,

Robert & Ursula

I've sent you a contact request

@Julien

morning to you and everone else:

I am currently working in Cornwall as an areonautical engineer and own a small flat in Protara Paralimni.

I will need to do some work on the property and hopefully then rent it untill I then retire and return to cyprus to live. I am looking for a handy man/women who can undertake some miner work in the Flat like new worktops and cupboards, some electrical work so the place is safe to live.

if anyone knows of anyone or can help in this matter do not hestiate in getting in contact with me. As well as if you know of someone who is in need of a long term let aslo please let me know.

regards Lewy

@Julien

hey !!! My names is Karen Taylor. I was born in Newfoundland, canada. Currently living in Belize Central America. I have always felt drawn to the Mediterranean and Cyprus came up on my radar. I am starting over and interested in living a new dream life. I found this site and thought I would explore the possibilities. I enjoy working with other people to create something different and fun. I worked in the field of wellness for many years but wanting to take a lighter approach to life. I have a website I created based on my most recent life experience.

I’d like to connect with positive heart centered people to work with and share life experiences.

if this resonates with anyone in this community feel free to contact me. I’m looking forward to a new adventure. 😃

@Julien David & Ann Esterson.  Met in Cyprus in 1984 and bought in 2005. Live in Zelemenos (top end of Kamares, Tala, Paphos)

David ex BA aeroplane driver, Ann ex Jersey Government.

@purityinmind  We have an English Karen Taylor designing and making mosaics here in Paphos Cyprus! Also runs classes.

Hello everyone,

My name is Chris, we're here on the sunny side of the moon since feb 2022 and I'm still struggling with greek language.

Welcome on board Chris ^^

In which region are you located ?

Maybe we could get you to meet with some members ...

all the best

Bhavna

Hello, I am planning to be in Cyprus in July 2023. I am a dual USA/EU citizen. An attorney in California, but have practiced mainly in Private International Civil Law. Plan to be here at least one year and then move to Italy - but who knows, I may stay in Cyprus. Trying to find a temporary room in Nicosia, as I look for a long term rental. Using Airbnb, I find that much goes on that is kept outside of its rules. I read about the new "rooms" offering by Airbnb, and suspect there are new rules coming down from some place. I have been offered places without A/C in Nicosia and cannot believe that the summer is that bearable in the Old Walled Town in the summer. Would appreciate hearing from the group. Thanks

Antonio F Di Stefano

@antoniodistefano9  Wishing you every success with your move Antonio

My name is Keith & I have been in Cyprus now for 20 years. Still got to work - unfortunately - but love it over here and doubt I will ever return to live in the UK.

Live just outside Paphos but know the island very well and especially love the Troodos.

@lewy1968 Hi! Can i ask what Protara Paralimni is like? Is it quite tourist heavy or town-like?

Protaras is a tourist resort...Paralimni on the other hand is more urban and residential

I live in Kapparis which is not far from either Protaras or Paralimni.  I don’t often go into Protaras as it is very tourist heavy but there are some lovely areas outside of Protaras if you are looking to settle and buy property.

@desterson I would love to take mosaic classes once I arrive next fall. Do you have any further information on how to contact her or find out more about her classes?

we are hoping to be in the Paphos area if we can find a rental.

@Julien Dear Julien and All!

At the moment I am here in Larnaca from Australia to get apheresistreatment for my Long Covid. apheresiscenter.eu

I am origin dutch,lived 30 years in Switzerland and now since 14 years in Australia,Perth.

My husband and I are both self employed (I am psychotherapist for humans and animalcommunicator,my husband is executive coach)and love it here.Thinking of maybe moving here.Would be great to connect with you to get more insights.Warm regards and thank you for the acceptance to belong to this group

!

Welcome

@Toon Thank you!

Hi all

I'm from Scotland but living in Bahrain for 13 years now and have decided to rent out my villa here and move to Cyprus (only 3 hr flight from here,  which is key as my daughter is still living here)

As a widow I'll be coming over alone with hopes of constant visitors, but worry about the winters and everything being shut down.  Ideally I fancy a home in Protaras / Pernara.  Being Scottish the Cypriot winter weather is not an issue :-)

I've been trolling through tax, immigration, property fees etc and this forum has been reassuring on many concerns