GHS access & Covid19

Thanks very much for this information.  I have downloaded the form, filled it in and emailed it to them along with a copy of my passport and MEU1 but I have not had any response.  I wondered wether anybody has else has submitted an application and had a response....or not?  Thank you.

TO REGISTER IT IS SOMETIMES BETTER AND QUICKER TO GO OT THE GHS CLINIC AND THEY DO EVERYTHING FOR YOU.. THEY MAY REQUIRE YOU TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT DUE TO COVID

Sent mine 19th Jan and got acknowledgement on 11 Feb so not a speedy service!

Hi Toon, thank you very much for that.  I don't know where the GHS clinic is in Paphos.  I'll google it.  By the way, you must have a full time job replying to everybody's posts/requests.  I admire your patience and would like to thank you so much for your dedication and commitment to helping others - well done - you are one in a million!!

Hi, thanks for that information.  In this case I will diarise approximately when I can expect a reply :-)  Thanks again for your time and reply.

Many of the clinics are GESY now try at the nearest one to you .... and thank you for your kind words

Further information for those who have relocated or about to relocate to Cyprus (especially those who dont work and dont have a state pension)  but wish to be able to access GESY

This is GESY latest response to my question re using previously paid social contributions paid in another EU country to allow joining GESY and gaining access to it.

"We would like to inform that according to the criteria set by the GHS law, EU citizens who have their ordinary residence in the areas controlled by the Cyprus Government and have acquired a valid residence permit from the Migration department, are beneficiaries when the following conditions apply:

1. Work in the areas controlled by the Cyprus Government or

2. Have acquired the right of Permanent Residence (MEU3 permit) or

3. Are Family members (spouse, child) of a GHS Beneficiary or

4. Meet the provisions of EU Regulation 883 (S1/A1 holders)

According to the information that you have provided, you are able to registered and the 4th category.

Document S1/E121 for pensioners OR Form A1 for workers, according to the provisions of EU Regulation 883  is the document provided from the relevant authorities of your country, certifying that you have been paying social insurances services there.

This document must be submitted first in the Cypriot Ministry of Health in order to acquire a medical card and then you can proceed with the submission on an enrollment application to the GHS.

When your application is approved you will be able proceed with the enrollment of your wife and children as family members but only if they have already acquired a valid residence permit from the Migration Department.



Thank you for contacting us, we remain at your disposal."

GHS Contact Centre
Health Insurance Organisation

Tel: 17000, calling from abroad: +357-22017000
Email: info@gesy.org.cy
Website: www.gesy.org.cy/contactus
Beneficiary & Provider Portals: Queries and Complaints Section

So does this mean that if not for Brexit then UK private pensioners would have been elegible for GESY?

The response above was more to do with the ability to utilise a persons (SWC) social welfare contributions (or National Insurance (NI) contributions for brits) paid in another EU country to be used for joining, gaining access and benefit of GESY..

So I guess you could say as Britain left the EU that if not for Brexit then UK private pensioners could/might have been eligible for GESY... if they used their NI contribution records to join access and benefit from GESY

A good friend of mine will be putting the above process to the test soon

A Cyprus NHS service had been talked about for a good few years but GESY only came into being in mid 2019 - 2020 was the first full year and as then as now  private pension income without state pension or working will be regarded as income from abroad and thus eligible for GESY contribution deductions at 2.65%...whether one got benefit from it or not ..... unless one utilised the NI or SWC contribution records from the homeland. 

I have to say though I dont know if anyone has tested to see if indeed despite using contribution records from a persons homeland whether private pension income from abroad still attracted the GESY deduction.

As deductions are based on a persons annual online tax return I am guessing it may still attract that deduction unless the person had a tax exemption certificate issued by GESY, currently issued to form S1 holding state pensioners or frontier workers

Further reply from GESY received this morning (25/02/21) which may help clarify

We would like to inform that all S1/E121, A1 document holders are excluded from paying contribution for the GHS. Thus, when you acquire the specific documentation you will have to contact Mr Soteris Stratis in the Ministry of Health at sstratis@moh.gov.cy, in order to receive a relevant certification and submit it wherever is needed (authorities such as Social Insurance Services, Tax department) so that you do not need to pay contributions for the GHS.

Another response received today regarding usage of homeland paid NI or SWC to join gain access to and benefit from GESY.

Q.....can a British person utilise their pre Brexit national insurance contributions records to join gain access to and benefit from GESY

A.....We have not received any update on the specific process from the relevant authorities, consequently pre Brexit conditions apply and if you acquire the specific documentation you will be able to proceed with your enrollment application for the GHS.

Thank you for contacting us, we remain at your disposal.

Just for information a friend of mine who relocated here from malta recently tried to get his SC transferred  here to gain access to GESY... he was told by malta healthcare dept that he would only get 3 months cover??????

Bizarre and hopefully an error.... 🙄

Sadly No error he has it in writing

Yes but that surely doesn't rule out a mistake surely?

Maybe not... but I’d go with what I know rather than dabble in a hope. I guess the best way is to get the required information, compete the application form and and see what happens..... 

Having thought about this overnight this issue probably needs to be brought to the attention of the EU commission as it seems to me to be unfair.  I know there is a mechanism to do so via the peti-portal but its a slow mechanism or even Solvit but having used these mechanism before it does work...