Brexit Implications for UK Nationals Residing in Cyprus
Background
On the 31 January 2020, the UK withdrew from the EU and the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, which is legally binding for all Member States, was applied on 1 February 2020. The Withdrawal Agreement allows a transition period from 1 February 2020 until 31 December 2020.
Status for UK Citizens in Cyprus or Wishing to Move to Cyprus
The implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement means that:
- UK nationals and their family members who, have been continuously resident in Cyprus for five years, by 31 December 2020, will be eligible for permanent residence.
UK nationals and their family members, who are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement (UK nationals and their family members who have already exercised, or will exercise their free movement rights in Cyprus before 1 January 2021), will be able to continue living in Cyprus with the same access to work, study, benefits and public services that they have enjoyed up to the end of 2020, subject to the specific provisions provided for in the Withdrawal Agreement.
2. UK nationals and their family members that are already residing in Cyprus, or who arrive by 31 December 2020, but will not have been continuously resident in Cyprus for five years, will be eligible for temporary residence. This will enable them to stay in Cyprus for five years, and then they will be entitled to apply for permanent residence.
3. UK nationals who want to relocate to Cyprus after the 31 December 2020, the end of the transition period and whose rights do not fall within the scope of the Withdrawal Agreement, will need to meet Cyprus immigration rules for third country nationals.
Documentation and Procedures
UK nationals and their family members will not need to replace their pre-existing residence documents: MEU1, MEU2, MEU3, in order to obtain the new residence document that will be issued from 1 January 2021. After the transition period, UK nationals and their family members who are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, will have the right to receive, if they choose to, a new residence document which will include a statement that it has been issued in accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement.
Residence applications which are submitted after 31 December 2020 by UK nationals and their family members, who are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement (meaning that the applicant has already exercised or will exercise their free movement rights in Cyprus before 1 January 2021), will be issued with forms: UK1, UK2 or UK3.
Applications must be submitted to the Civil Registry and Migration Department of Nicosia, or to the District Unit of the Aliens and Immigration Service of the Police, depending on the area (province, district) where the applicant decides to have his/her place of residence.
Other Countries in the EU
Arrangements regarding the status of UK citizens living in EU countries, varies on a country by country basis. For countries other than Cyprus, please seek professional advice or speak to Dixcart regarding the precise status in Malta and Portugal: advice@dixcart.com.
Additional Information
Dixcart can assist with residence applications in Cyprus before and after 31 December 2020. The key criteria in terms of applying for residence documentation is that the main applicant must be resident in Cyprus before the end of the transition period.
For more information, please contact the Dixcart office in Cyprus: advice.cyprus@dixcart.com, or get in touch with your usual Dixcart contact.
