Property purchase and sales - Post Brexit

Thanks Toon - must admit that I am shocked and dismayed by that as I was completely unaware of some of those constraints - especially the new income requirements

It may change .. hopefully Cyprus government bodies will see sense. I suspect the €30k quoted here comes from the old non EU conditions and has been transposed in this article as I recall that figure having to be deposited in a cyprus bank as a condition for some australian friends

Many thanks Toon, this is dfinately food for thought, however as it stands I will still press on with my search for a suitable holiday home. Any ideas on why the paphos area seems more affected?

Probably because it’s more working and retiree expat, tourism and holiday  home orientated than the other areas and I hear some are returning for all sorts of reasons  to UK

A quick question as I am a bit confused. If I was to retire to Cyprus under category F visa I can purchase a property of any value? Also, is it advisable to apply for the Cat F visa from outside of Cyprus or move there and apply from inside. It is a big step to take moving there and then being rejected for a visa.
Thanks in advance

Its no biggy to move here and apply for your residency  (most people do that) as you would be allowed to stay here 90 days without any formal visa and this gives you the time to apply for your residency which is currently required to be applied for within 90 days if it is your intention to stay here for longer than that....

To apply for residency without being here is possible but you would need to appoint a person to do that on your behalf as the application (without your presence) needs to be made with certified copies of your passport marriage and birth certificates, plus evidence of income savings healthcare coverage etc  sufficient to ensure you will not be a burden on the republic...

Hi Toon,

Many thanks for this. It would seem to be straight forward getting a Cat F visa. I am just a bit worried about making the move and failing to get the visa.
I will review the various websites to find a suitable lawyer who can assist, assuming this is required.

Thanks once again for your advice

you dont have to use a lawyer (unless there are immigration issues) there are tried tested and trusted people here who can do it for a fee (usually between €150-200 per person)....   Ive indicated in other posts who can be contacted to help should you feel the need to try and and do it before arriving here...  I honestly dont think its an issue to get here and do it it as in my experiences and knowledge it is very rare to be refused....

Hi Toon

Thanks very much for sharing this information.  I was wondering if there had been any changes to these rules since they came into force, or do you think there might be changes in the future?

I am a Brit, currently living in Hong Kong, but am looking into moving to Cyprus.  Things like being limited to only 4000 sqm of land etc is a bit of a a deal breaker for me.  The whole idea of moving away from somewhere like Hong Kong is to be able to afford more land / space, but this is now capped with these new rules sadly.

Thanks again.

B

I think and its my opinion  its likely to remain for non EU nationals.. unless of course you have lots and lots of money.....   since brexit has complicated many things  including residency applications and work harder to obtain...

Financial requirements have become harder and at higher levels  - healthcare  cover is essential and to  be able to work you need to be a required skill without local (primary consideration) or EU applicants (secondary consideration) being available added to the potential employer being willing to get your work permit..

as for  home/land purchases I suspect the limits will stay but never say never there is always a possibility of a change .... unless you have someone in the know willing to support your application

Toon wrote:

Its no biggy to move here and apply for your residency  (most people do that) as you would be allowed to stay here 90 days without any formal visa and this gives you the time to apply for your residency which is currently required to be applied for within 90 days if it is your intention to stay here for longer than that.......

I understand that a Cat F application takes 8-12 months. If my wife and I were to apply within the 90 days, does the clock stop, so to speak, until the application process is complete?

Why do you say it takes 8-12 months

I know things have changed but a cat F application is quite straightforward as long as all  your documentation is in order ...

The only delay that I can think of is the delay caused by those who may have applied for their WA protected  residency at the last minute causing a backlog....

But assuming there is such a delay then once your application is in you should get a receipt for it and you should be ok

Apologies for the delay in replying; a busy family weekend.

I read somewhere (I think it was on this forum) that a 6(2) typically takes 2-4 months and a Category F typically takes 8-12 months. If that's not correct, I'm delighted.

We can fulfil the criteria for either, but for a variety of reasons we don't really want to buy a brand new home, which is why we'd like to opt for a Cat F. My nervousness is simply based on the nightmare scenario of selling up here, buying there and then having our applications refused. I have no reason whatsoever to think that they would be refused (always worked; never been in trouble with the law; Mr & Mrs Average, really) but it's still a consideration. If I was in my 40s, no problem, but in my 60s I can do without the drama.

Many thanks for your reassuring response.