BREXIT READY? THE THREE MAIN THINGS YOU NEED TO DO

  

Brexit ready?

The clock is ticking.  Expect to have to wait for a couple of months for any appointment at the Department of Transport and/or Immigration.   You must start the process to formalise your residency before 31 December 2020 to protect your rights. 

At the current time, the 3 main things you need to do:

1  Formalise your residency - obtain your MEU1 or MEU3.  Please remember that no other residency documentation is now recognised.  Remember without formalising your residency you can only stay on the island for up to 90 days and must leave and then cannot return for a further 90 days.  Also, without residency, if there is another lockdown, you will not be able to return to Cyprus until that lockdown is lifted.

In addition, you may not be able to join GESY and leave yourself open to a fine of around €2,500 if stopped as from 1 January 2021 you will be a third party national and on the island illegally.   

2  Change your UK driving licence to a Cypriot one.  

3  Check your UK passport. From 1 January 2021 you must have at least 6 months left on your passport to travel to most countries in Europe.   Also check to see if when you renewed your passport last time any unexpired portion was added on - if so, please note that new regulations only permit a passport to be valid for 10 years from date of issue and so you could find that you have less time left on your passport than you thought!