Category F Visa Application

@MacGeorge8035

Surprise surprise more changes to come....

@Toon she never said when the changes may come

She will probably just be as surprised as everyone else..

@MacGeorge8035

How long was the process before being granted residency permit?

Is this what is obtained if purchasing new property 300k plus vat or is it the regular temp residency with a yellow slip?

Category F was for fully self sufficient persons without working ...usually retired pensioners... it certainly was and probably still.is.

@phildraper

The residency by investment route gives you permanent residency for the applicant plus wife and family....  and allowed immediate entitlement to GESY

@Femacy My understanding is that it could take up to 18 months.

@phildraper From the immigration website:

"Persons who possess and have fully and freely at their disposal from abroad a secured annual income of an appropriate amount to allow them a decent living in Cyprus, without having to engage in any business, trade or profession in the Republic. The annual income required should be at least €9,568 (CY£5,600) for the applicant and moreover at least €4,613 (CY£2,700) for every dependent person. This income may include pensions, dividends from shares, fixed deposits interest, rents a.s.o.

Criteria for granting an Immigration Permit within the scope of the expedited procedure to applicants who are third-country nationals and invest in Cyprus"

No idea what an appropriate amount is either because the numbers above look very low.

It also mention CY£ so I think it is years out of date lol

Oh no not more changes ! I have my date for renewal in November and the criteria has already changed since last year. I am totally self sufficient and rely on nobody ...all I want is that new slip that allows me to stay

That may be for EU NATIONALS and can change on a whim and on an individual.basis as is required by the immigration dept ... for just about anyone. That was in place when we arrived in 2014 ....

@mbohills57 I did my Temporary Residency renewal today and I did not have to worry about the new requirements that came out in January.

Hi guys,

We've been here a year now and started out on the category F application. Lawyer says "I/We have to show transactions of between €25-28k for our next immigration appointment (Jan) into our Hellenic bank accounts.

We have a balance of €12,500 in our accounts but she says that doesn't count!

We're not close to the figure she has quoted us.

Is she correct,  we've used Revolut a lot the first year, Does that not count?

She says she wants to see every swift transaction from our banks in the UK to the Hellenic.

I've been transferring from Halifax Bank to Revolut then exchanging to € then sending this to the Hellenic accounts.

There's no phone conversations with these people they just send you what they have been told.

A,  is she correct?

B,  if so I'll need to do a large money transfer from uk to Hellenic.

I thought lawyers are supposed to advise you on only using Cyprus bank account card for paying for everything.  We feel totally let down by these people.

What's your experience going through this process?

Thanks

T

We haven't made €28k

I believe only Cyprus bank transactions count....also I was told recently that they have also stopped accepting Revolut transaction records.

Plus at the start of each year you must have the required amount deposited into a Cyprus bank from a non cyprus bank ..existing deposit balance is not accepted . Thys it seems you must take that out put it back to UK and then re deposit it back to Cyprus bank account

What may be handy to use is to use your revolut to make the currency exchange then transfer euros to a HSBC global euro/gbp account or similar at halifax and make direct euro transfers from there to hellenic ..its what i would do

Or maybe use Starling as that is a pukka UK licensed bank unlike UK revolut

Seems to.me to be encouraging you to spend €28k per year here .... We definitely dont spend that ... We could but we don't...  and had we not had our PR since 2019 we must be very close to failing the current requirements

@timhuntington i have not gone through the CAT F visa route but just the temporary residency route. We renewed a few weeks ago for our second year. We were told that we had to have at least €10,000 in our Cypriot bank account at the time of our application. Addiontally, we had to show a reqular income into our Cypriot bank account which needed to be in excess of €28,800 per annum for a couple. 

the important part is that the source of the funds must be from legitimate source, this can include rental income from abroad, pension payments, interest payments,  dividends etc. one-off payments from a bank account don’t count towards the €28,800. The income source needs to show regular income each  month into your Cypriot bank account.

@timhuntington

We were lead to believe that for the category F Perm Residence, the main applicant had to show a yearly income of just over 9500 Euro and the spouse just under 5000 Euro. Are you sure its cat F and not the pink slip?

@mozabley61 I would ignore that if it is from the Cyprus Immigration website as it is way out of date. I wanted to go through the CAT F  route myself, but my solicitor told me 3 weeks ago that you can apply but they have not processed a single CAT F application since 2020. So your best bet maybe going the temporary residency route.

No, that was from George K. Constantinou Law firm, dated as updated on the 24th September 2023. We haven't moved to Cyprus yet but we are there from 20th December on a fact finding mission. Hoping to get an appointment with Blevins Franks and also a Law Firm. There is a lot of conflicting info on line so we decided to get it straight from the horses mouth in December

@mozabley61

Those figures look like the requirements for EU nationals  applying under cat F for residency on self sufficient basis... And hadn't changed for at least 10.years

@mozabley61 I know what the law firm says but that is a direct quote from the Cyprus Immigration website. I would suggest if you are a non-EU National then the best route to go would be the temporary residency route. The CAT F route is not going to work according to my immigration agent for non-EU nationals.

If you are not a resident of Cyprus and this is your first application then you need to look at the temporary residency criteria instead. On the financial side when we arrived in September 2022 I needed to show in excess of €30,000 in a Cypriot bank account when we went for our immigration appointment.

In my second year, I needed €10,000 in my Cyprus Bank account on the day of our immigration appointment, and could also show that we had an income coming into Cyprus of €28,800 per annum for a couple. According to my immigration solicitor if you are a non-EU National then you will not get through immigration unless you can meet the financial and other criteria.

These numbers are high I know and it is more that you need to live on but those are the rules. Brexit sucks. Furthermore, the immigration rules for non-EU Nationals are in constant flux so who knows what they will morph into.

And about to change again soon ...

@MacGeorge8035

Dear All,

F Visa are not processed from the end of 2018 - official reply from the relevant officer in Nicosia, after months trying to get answers, and many official request and complaints.

Yes, it is true, Ministry of Interior should/would give some new requirements, but not is happening for years, and officially confirmed, that is not a political decision.......

Anyway, they are taking money - 500EUR per application, and not processing, and the valid Law is saying that they should and of course time-lines.

Would like to put initiative, to form group for creating petition, to force Immigration Department to do their job, and if there are interested people, who had been already applied for it, before and still waiting for it, even to go to the Supreme Court, to obtain applicant rights......

BR

@hominidgroup

Not a bad idea but petitions don't do much here..  e.g. take the swimming pool petition...  still no word about that ....even though the question marks over the required Pool law changes have been known about by various MoI ministers  since about 2005 with regular reminders 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2015 2016 2018 2020 2021 2022 2023  and statements saying it wil change and its no different today....

Take the new IPL drafted in Jan 2022 stil not ratified and  passed into law expected in 2024 sometime..

Bottom line they dont care

Hi Guys,

  I'm on the yellow slip if that helps. Alien!

0 to 12 months, we used our uk bank statements/pensions and was told we needed €15k in Hellenic bank or a Cypriot bank A/c for immigration.

We got through that and were sent on our way. No forward thinking from the Lawyer to tell us about regular pension payments to show up every month for year 2!

The lack of any communication is unbelievable with these Lawyers unless you owe them something.

The worry is now you guys say I can't make up the shortfall with a one off payment which is a worry.

I have £50k in Premium bonds that I could easy make up the difference,  could I show my bonds certificate in the process for immigration?

I'm not sure if  me and the wife sending our Hellenic balances back to the uk and then sending them back to Cyprus account would do either for this year's balance?

I'm up to €18k that can submit ligit to now but the daft thing is we've spent €12k on furniture etc from Revolut which could have been from regular pension payments and top ups from Hellenic bank if we'd been told.

Tomorrow's another day, start again!!!

I don't think they should be apply the new rules / requirements that comebout after your initial application. As that would mean everyone here already under MEU3 MEU1 pre brexit would have the same rules apply...... but knowing this lot it doesn't surprise me one iota... 

Much of what happens here is borne out of not knowing what the real laws and legislation is or a misinterpreted representation of them passed from one person to another...

Good luck

I would argue your case with revolut statements and argue they were ok when we applied and were not informed of any changes... Thus you thought you had what you needed to support your residency for 2nd year....

Yes Toon,

We arrived before any rule change and I will print off every account I have showing the Money trail is legit.  We can live comfortably in retirement and we've contributed to the economy here to the tune of over €30k first year spend on furniture,  home improvements, and the likes.

Surely that's what it's all about, we're all contributing to the Cypriot economy but...

I agree 100%>> does it really matter as long as you SPEND YOUR money here in Cyprus.. ok I understand AML and source of funds etc......  but these

unnecessary demands are ridiculous.

And to make it worse scandalous delays in issuing legitimate residency documents coupled with a immigration dept that clearly doesn't work efficiently.

It's enough to put people off coming to Cyprus .... maybe its only the rich people they want .....

I have a plan to get around all this red tape! I have a large rib that we can all fit in so we just go to sea and arrive as refugees and say we have no papers and have come from Sudan :-/ This way we should all be able to stay may be!

On the serious side I have not heard of anyone being refused a second year so unless they all kept quite I think we should be OK and the legal representative generally has the way to fix things

@MacGeorge8035

Saw this today

Cyprus permanent residency

Updated: October 13, 2023

Cyprus Permanent Residency is a legal status that entitles Non-EU citizens and qualifying dependents to enter and stay as permanent residents in Cyprus with no limitations. It does not expire; therefore, the holder does not need to renew it. It is also known as a Cyprus immigration permit or unlimited residency.

In 2023, to obtain a Permanent Residency permit in Cyprus with the fast-track option, the applicant must invest at least €300,000 in real estate. This residency can cover the whole family and does not expire.

A holder of such a permit can apply for Cyprus citizenship after five years of residing in the country.

The legal basis of the permanent residence scheme is Regulations 5 and 6(2) of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations.

Permanent residence programs

A PR in Cyprus is divided into several main categories.

Permanent residency by investment

"Cyprus residency by buying a property" type of permit is for investors who purchase property in Cyprus and have sufficient income from abroad:

Category 6.2 Fast Track Permanent Residency can be obtained by investing at least €300.000 (plus VAT) in a brand-new house or apartment in Cyprus.

Permanent Residency Category F requires an investment in real estate of at least €100.000 (plus VAT) and annual income from abroad, which covers living expenses while residing in Cyprus, without working or doing business. The required yearly income starts from €9568 for one applicant plus €4613 for each dependent person.

Here is an example of the Cyprus permanent resident card obtained through investment:

Good evening all

Its seems we are all in the same boat ! So to speak with regards to immigration

OK I have another question if I may

Been here a year have a pink slip , need to renew it in December along side a f slip application ( if i can)

Sold my home in UK brought car and personal belongings here.

Been cleared at customs on the transfer of permanent residency documents. Live with my partner here.

From now on how do I prove an income from uk !

I have savings but no pension for say 2 years

Just wondering if I am missing something!

@kevinlewis2323 we have just renewed our residency a few weeks ago for the second year. We needed to fill out a form outlining our income and the source. All our income had to be shown we also needed to provide supporting documentation, this could be P60, award letters or payment notifications. We also had to provide 6 months of statements for our Cypriot Bank Account (Hellenic) showing the money being paid in each month. We also needed to have at least €10,000 as a credit in our Cypriot bank. We are lucky that all our income is in the form of pensions, state and private so it was easy to prove. The regular income needed to be greater than €28,800 per year or around €2400 per month for a couple. if you have children the amount needed is greater. This is all thanks to Brexit.

We were told transfers of lump sums don’t count, i have no idea why. It appears since Brexit Cyprus Immigration want to see regular income coming in each month at renewal. I will iterate this has been our experience others may differ.  According to my immigration agent the above criteria is affecting a lot of non-EU nationals who are having to leave as they can’t meet the criteria. The above is only applicable to non-EU nationals.

I guess you will do the same as you did for the first year ....prove your savings and prove the "drawdown of your savings" in the first year. ...show your savings levels sufficient to cover the next two years and then prove your expected pension payments from forecasts etc... Other than that I can't see how else to do so.

What a carry on... It was so much easier when we went to Malta 2008 and then on to Cyprus 2014... none of this nonsense..  but I guess thats what life throws at all TCNs ....Good luck ...

In all honesty we did all of the above in Malta and then here even when UK were full members of the EU to prove self sufficiency under Cat F temporary residency permit then in 2019 for PR proved 5 years of bank statements here to prove spend... I thank heaven that we did what we did when we did it ....  but then brexit happened and lots of plans & futures were impacted upon...

Thanks Toon

Certainly over shadows the perception of life in the sun.

If people have money in their account then as long as its legitimate then who cares

Seems I will if I am lucky go through 5 years of uncertainty with immigration.

Worked hard saved money sold house etc like we all have

I will try and get this pink slip with every good  intention

Have a good day!

@kevinlewis2323 It doesn’t make life any easier that’s for sure. i have to do this on 3 more occasions before we can apply for permanent residency.

Here is a little ironic tale, my brother and his wife have been planning to retire to Cyprus for more than 20 years.

They both voted to leave the EU. During their last visit a few weeks ago they asked about what they need to do to immigrate so I outlined the criteria. it turns out my brother has a 20 year old conviction which he was fined for and they can’t meet the financial criteria when he retires.  Talk about not doing joined up thinking.  If we were still in the EU, they could have retired here.