is residency registration required for people over 60?

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kayc
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is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by kayc »

I'd like clarification on this question. I've been told conflicting information - some say yes, and some say no not needed if the person is over 60.

Also, if I've overstayed my allowed time, is there a penalty or fine to pay and do they enforce it?

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by frontalman »

If you're over 60 and own a property, residency is not required, I believe.

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by PoshinDevon »

There is a "gentlemans" agreement in place that residency for over 60s is not required. However, trying to find this documented is difficult.
There are many things to consider, such as driving and insuring a vehicle etc. It isn't straightforward. You will hear and read lots of posts on this forum about this subject. What must be considered is that they are personal thoughts and despite what people may say it is not law. Search on the forum and you can read everyone's thoughts.

Personally I am joining the over 60s later this year and will continue to apply and pay the necessary fees. In the big scheme of things it really is not a great expense,
It is a matter of personal choice.
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass,it's about learning to dance in the rain

Peterborough Utd -The Posh

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by Mowgli597 »

frontalman wrote:If you're over 60 and own a property, residency is not required, I believe.
For us ownership of property was never asked (we are "permanent" residents i.e. not "swallows" but rent). Both over 60.

However, like Posh we applied for and received residency - initially for one year, then asked for and were graciously given two years at renewal. We were told it wasn't required but we wanted to be sure to be sure!

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by gary&shirley »

As stated it is personal choice, my wife was over 60 the first time we applied and we both got one year, this time only myself did it being under 60 and I asked and was given 2 years. If you are a BRS member a copy of the fax which details the non requirement for persons over 60 is on their web site.

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by dippersgirl »

BRS says:

13. The concession allowing those British residents aged over 60 to come and go without residency requirements has been the subject of much confusion for the ex-pat community for a considerable period of time. Hopefully the following information may prove useful.
This concession for the over 60’s is not legally binding. Therefore theTRNC government can cancel this arrangement at any time.
Anyone that wants permanent residency must, currently, have five consecutive annual residency stamps in their passport. This procedure is currently suspended pending changes to the law. Anyone choosing not to renew will not obtain a residency stamp and this may make them ineligible to obtain permanent residency.
We are not aware of an immigration problem that has arisen for British residents aged over 60 leaving and entering the TRNC without a residency stamp in their passport. If you are concerned about this approach you can download a copy of a fax that was issued to the immigration staff to confirm this arrangement. This document can be obtained from the “Forms” section of the Members Only section of our website.
If you don’t have a residency stamp in your passport when applying for a TRNC driving license you will need a Muhtar’s letter to confirm your place of residence together with the other necessary documents.

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by kayc »

Thanks for the informative responses. When you speak of a "form" on the member's page of a website - what website are you referring to? I don't see a link to "forms" on this site.

Actually, I am a USA citizen. I don't own property here, just renting. I may want to at some point in the future. Right now, my concern is that I am illegal, as I haven't registered for residency. No information on the requirements for this or anything else was provided upon arrival. And, I haven't been able to find any "official" information from any governing sources. I went to the Turkish embassy to inquire, but they hadn't a clue as to what I was asking. One woman there suggested I register my phone, and directed me to that office.

I worry that if I leave - even if it is to the south side of the island, that I will be denied re-entry. Some things I have read stated that there was a fine that accumulated, and that I would be charged for that upon re-entry. IF that is the truth, then I'm stuck here, unless I decide to leave permanently.

I just want to be informed on the official laws and abide by them. Thanks.

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by Keithcaley »

kayc,

dippersgirl simply posted information from the BRS (British Resident's Society) website for information- it's nothing to do with this forum...

You can apply for a 1 year Visitor's Visa, otherwise, apart from 'over-60's, your stay is normally limited to 90 days, and there are penalties for overstaying which are definitely enforced.

If you are over 60, then at the present time (as has been the case for as long as most people can remember) then there is no limit to how long you can stay. If anyone at one of the checkpoints queries the length of time that you've been here, take it as a compliment that they don't think that you look that old - and just tell them "Over 60!".

Don't worry about it

There is plenty of information on this forum, just type 'residency' (without the inverted commas) into the search box at the top of the page.

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by SunnyParkers »

We are in the 'over 60's club' and have opted to do the temporary residency. Have just come back from Turkey and the immigration officer at Ercan pointed out to us that we didn't need to do it, especially as it cost money but he also said he understood that it was 'insurance' for us.

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by kerry 6138 »

kayc wrote:Thanks for the informative responses. When you speak of a "form" on the member's page of a website - what website are you referring to? I don't see a link to "forms" on this site.

Actually, I am a USA citizen. I don't own property here, just renting. I may want to at some point in the future. Right now, my concern is that I am illegal, as I haven't registered for residency. No information on the requirements for this or anything else was provided upon arrival. And, I haven't been able to find any "official" information from any governing sources. I went to the Turkish embassy to inquire, but they hadn't a clue as to what I was asking. One woman there suggested I register my phone, and directed me to that office.

I worry that if I leave - even if it is to the south side of the island, that I will be denied re-entry. Some things I have read stated that there was a fine that accumulated, and that I would be charged for that upon re-entry. IF that is the truth, then I'm stuck here, unless I decide to leave permanently.

I just want to be informed on the official laws and abide by them. Thanks.
unless you came to Cyprus via the south and still have a visa you probably wont be allowed entry into the south they consider Ercan has an illegal point of entry particularly for non EU citizens,
You need to go the TRNC immigration department not the Turkish Embassy in Lefcosa thre are directions on the forum which you can find using the search facilty.
If you are near Girne there is also immigration officers based in the main police station near the Wednesday market who can advise you what to do, if you've overstayed there is usually a fine and if you leave they wont let you back in until it is paid.
Last edited by kerry 6138 on Sun 11 Jun 2017 10:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by erol »

kerry 6138 wrote: unless you came to Cyprus via the south and still have a visa you probably wont be allowed entry into the south they consider Ercan has an illegal point of entry particularly for non EU citizens,
US citizens do not require a visa for tourist entry in to the Republic of Cyprus and thus they can cross from the North to South as a tourist regardless of how they first may have entered Cyprus.

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by dippersgirl »

'kayc'

If you are not a member of the BRS you probably do not see everything

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by kayc »

I must be dense, as I am still not clearly understanding.

I am over 60. I came here last July, through Turkey to Ercan airport. I didn't need a visa, they just stamped my passport. I haven't left Cyprus since then, not even to the Greek side.

My question I thought was straightforward. Do I need a residency permit or some type of registration to go to see the greek side or go to Turkey and be able to re-enter without penalty? And IF there is a penalty, WHAT IS IT? ANYONE KNOW?

I'm not a homeowner here, I just rent. I am not working, retired.

THANKS

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by erol »

kayc wrote:My question I thought was straightforward. Do I need a residency permit or some type of registration to go to see the greek side or go to Turkey and be able to re-enter without penalty? And IF there is a penalty, WHAT IS IT? ANYONE KNOW?
For as long as the TRNC government sticks to the 'gentleman's agreement' that over 60's do not need residency , then you are able to cross from North to South and back again without problem or penalty. You will only have problems if and when the TRNC government decides to no longer stick to the 'gentleman's agreement', then by the letter of current law you would be required to obtain annual temporary residency in the TRNC in order to live in the TRNC and be able to leave it without penalty either via the green line in to the South or via any other route (Ercan, ferry etc )

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by kayc »

Thanks TrueKibcomer, that's good news!

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by kerry 6138 »

erol wrote:
kerry 6138 wrote: unless you came to Cyprus via the south and still have a visa you probably wont be allowed entry into the south they consider Ercan has an illegal point of entry particularly for non EU citizens,
US citizens do not require a visa for tourist entry in to the Republic of Cyprus and thus they can cross from the North to South as a tourist regardless of how they first may have entered Cyprus.
Kayc wrote:  I am a USA citizen. I am over 60. I came here last July, through Turkey to Ercan airport. I didn't need a visa, they just stamped my passport. I haven't left Cyprus since then, not even to the Greek side.

US state dept.advice is has follows.

https://travel.state.gov/content/passpo ... yprus.html

Enter and exit Cyprus ONLY at Larnaca and Paphos airports and at the seaports of Limassol, Larnaca, and Paphos.  The government of Cyprus does not consider entry at Ercan Airport in the north to be a “legal” entrance into Cyprus.You cannot receive a residency permit from the government of Cyprus to reside in the northern third of the island. You can stay in the Turkish Cypriot-administered area for less than 90 days by possessing a valid U.S. passport. However, the government of Cyprus does not recognize residence permits issued by Turkish Cypriots for stays longer than 90 days. If you stay in the Turkish Cypriot-administered area for over 90 days,you may be detained by Cypriot officials at Larnaca airport or denied entry into the government-controlled part of the island.

For information on traveling across the U.N. buffer zone, contact Ledra Palace checkpoint at tel. 357 22 451 944 in Nicosia

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Re: is residency registration required for people over 60?

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Post by erol »

Despite the above in all practical senses I maintain what I wrote before.

There are two separate things here but they are intimately related. Firstly there are the laws that define who can and can not cross the Green Line and these are defined by EU law in the Green Line agreement signed by the RoC on entry into the EU. The rules that define who can and can not cross are short and simple an unequivocal and also unalterable by the RoC unilaterally.

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/Lex ... 627:EN:PDF
3. Third-country nationals shall only be allowed to cross the line provided they:
(a) possess either a residence permit issued by the Republic of Cyprus or a valid travel document and, if required, a valid visa for the Republic of Cyprus, and
(b) do not represent a threat to public policy or public security.
That is it, no mention about how you may have entered Cyprus at all. If you meet these criteria the RoC MUST let you cross.

Then there is the pre existing RoC law that states it is illegal for anyone to enter Cyprus via the North, that includes RoC citizens, EU citizens and third country nationals alike. In theory the RoC could prosecute anyone, once in the RoC, for having entered Cyprus via the North at any time. In practice however they know they can not use this law for a variety of reason, not least because they know that any attempt to do so would be seen as being incompatible with the supra-national EU Green line laws. In this regards the UK governments official advisory is more realistic in my opinion where it states

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advic ... d-security
British and other foreign nationals who have entered Cyprus through the north are considered by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus to have entered Cyprus through an illegal port of entry. The Government of the Republic of Cyprus reserves the right to fine you for illegal entry if you cross into the south, but in practice, the current policy is not to do so.
To the best of my knowledge the RoC law that prohibits (anyone) from entering Cyprus via North has not been used once since the RoC joined the EU. Every day 100's if not thousands of people who are in breach of this law, be they RoC citizens, EU Citizens or third country nationals enter the RoC, via both the Green Line and via the airports and ports in the south and not one of them to the best of my knowledge has been prosecuted under this law since the RoC joined the EU.

I also personally know of US citizens (and other like NZ citizens) that have entered via the North and then crossed the Green line without any realistic danger that they will, once having crossed, be prosecuted under this RoC law. In theory anyone who has ever entered Cyprus via the North at any time who then enters the RoC could be prosecuted under this law. In practice this has never happened and could not happen without it creating severe legal problems for the RoC which would almost certainly lead to them being forced to amend or remove entirely this law, something I believe they do not wish to risk. Preferring instead to 'reserve the right to do so' whilst never actually doing so.

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