Can 'Swallows' ever get Residency?

[Hector]

As 'swallows' of many years who visited NC at various times during the year for around 6 weeks at a time when we could come and go without hindrance, we now find ourselves victims of the NC 90/180 day visa rules. We now only visit for just less than 30 days at a time twice in the year (we ask for and get 90 days being villa owners, 'just in case').

We would apply for residency but from what we can gather, being only here for less than 30 days at a time, we have no chance of being far enough along in the application process to enable us to either get residency or at least allowed to leave NC without having to start all over again.

Is this still the case? Is there a way to do this as a mere 'swallow'?

Our alternative solution is, with such short visits, sadly, like many others we are told, sell up and leave.

[alphamike]

I know people in the same situation as you Hector.
It really is a palaver for people wanting to come and go when they have property here. Especially with the backlog in the residency procedure. You would think they would jump at the chance to get more money in the coffers through residency, health insurance (and medical for under 60's). This online process was supposed to simplify things.
Was just speaking to a friend in same situation earlier today, who was advised by someone else to join BRS and they would help. Whether this is correct or not, I cannot say, but I don't agree with that in principle.

[frugal90]

Many of us "swallows" are now limiting trips to less than 30 days and have decided to market properties.

[snd1966]

Many of us "swallows" are now limiting trips to less than 30 days and have decided to market properties.

Which is a great shame as swallows tend to use restaurants more regularly and have their relatives visit who again spend their holiday money and good for the people who live here to interact with the outside world. Maybe someone in the government may come with the idea of a holiday visa who those who genuinely do not live here but just want to visit the island. My parents for years arrived in March and back to their UK home mid May and again arriving back here in September to early November. Throughout these visits family and friends joined them but in today's world it would of just been too much for them to visit police immigration etc. I realise the British are a small minority therefore wonder why these decisions have been made. Maybe workers were being put on the 90 day visa and they wanted this stopped? But again a holiday visa ask the right questions the genuine person could get one easily and I know my parents would of gladly paid for it to visit an island and it's people as long as it was a simple process. And in an online world it could be made so easy and bringing in money at the same time

[13roman58]

I thought that there is a maximum amount of days allowed out of the TRNC in a one year period, otherwise your residency is cancelled?

[Mimi2]

Only here in TRNC. Can they make a complete mess of an 'Online' system.

[Deniz1]

Ask ExPats Consultancy they have all the "official" answers and are uk trained legal experts they can guide you through the procedure. They have a Facebook page.

[laptatony]

Kibkommer compares to the Passport system in the UK...takes just as long

[benjaminbutton]

Within 500 yards of my house are five houses owned by Swallows all of whom are very close to obtaining residency. They all went as far as they could on line and then each time they come back on holiday would move up a step towards full residency. They went to Lefkosa last week, obtained their medical form and went to the department where it appears "Residency" is dealt with and the log jam unblocked. You could of course go to an Agent who will look after most of it for you. Of course there are certain appts you will have to go with him i.e. the police which only takes 10 mins or even less on a good day these days. Plus obtaining your Muhtar letter for him to start the ball rolling. We live here, but still did very little of the running around, other than police visit.

[Hector]

Thank you all for your responses. I'm still at a loss to know how we can get residency or least be far enough along in the process to not have to start again, during our 30 day visits. Anyone know the answer?

[snd1966]

I would suggest the driving school by the police station.
As someone has suggested get bank statements, muhtar letter, photos etc together. Maybe someone can give you their contact details

[waddo]

Never, ever, forget that this is a country where the brown envelope rules! Not saying that it is alone in this, just that it is far more "Open" than some other countries! Would you give a waiter a TIP for good service or just pay the bill and leave? Would you pay a tradesman extra, in the knowledge that it is over priced, because they give good service? Would you rather pay the normal or less to "Bodgit and Scarper" just to save a bit? The World is round and money goes around it and makes it turn, how fast it turns for you in your own particular circumstances defines how much you are willing to pay. A life without stress is the way to peace and happiness. Your own choices are yours to make. Have fun, live life and enjoy it. Stay safe out there.

[Deniz1]

If you apply as soon as you arrive you will go to the police after 2 weeks. With an agency to help you if you leave they will complete it for you and print off your visa. You dont have to be present as they do every thing for you.

[Dave G]

When we did it last time it took 22 days from pressing the button to getting a police appointment, and another 18 days for the boss to get an appointment for the medical things, overall it took exactly 17 weeks but we both got 2 years even though the boss is still a couple of years before she hits the magic number

[benjaminbutton]

I think that tells it all Hector, you can certainly obtain your Residency and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. There's more than one way to skin a rabbit and you have choices. BTW we have never handed anyone a brown envelope under the counter. The only money we have paid out to obtain ours is the legal fees that everyone has to pay. If you pay a pucca agent, then you will have fees there, but they are not horrendous by any standard.

[kerry 6138]

In my experience the application is suspended when you leave if you are out for longer than 60 days I think it is cancelled altogether, if you come back before its cancelled a phone call or visit to immigration continues the process.

[benjaminbutton]

Not from the experience of my three immediate neighbours it wasn't cancelled altogether. Its been longer than 60 days since they were last here.

[cjtill]

Is there any problems when they come back into the country and they still haven't completed their residency?

[PoshinDevon]

In short the answer to your question is yes. Swallows can get residency.

We are swallows and before the “on line” system we; like many, did the travelling around to present paperwork, get medical and eventually complete the process in Lefkosa.

The on line system has in some ways improved the service in that there should not be so much travelling around. However; as many know, the system is overloaded and what was supposed to be a quicker service is in actual fact taking longer.

There are many reasons being debated as to why this is, how things could be improved etc etc, but without fully understanding the reasons behind the bottlenecks and reasons why it takes so long it really all is guesswork. It is still a long wait from applying to eventually getting residency.

We arrived in the TRNC in the last week in March. At passport control we were asked about residency and said we are doing it this time, the policeman said fine and gave us 90days stay. However; we do know that often it can be only 30 or 60 days. We commenced our residency application at the end of March, visited the police station, have paid our health care insurance fees and are sat at 60% complete. All completed by third week in April. We presume that it just needs our paperwork to rise up the pile for final check before we can complete the process.

We have booked to return to the UK early July and fully expect we will have to call the department and book an appointment to complete the process before we leave. We don’t feel comfortable about doing this but we do have to return to the UK and don’t wish to find out that our application has been cancelled and we have to start again. Some say you can leave and return at will, your application will just sit in the system. Others say if you leave and are away for a period of time the application is cancelled. We don’t know what the official guidance is so will book the appointment if necessary to get it completed.

Hopefully in time the on line system will really speed up the process but at present that seems a little way off.

Why as swallows do we go thro the residency process? Simple answer, we love the TRNC and like to spend 3-4 months on island, return to UK and then come back again after a few months. We like being able to travel as and when we want and stay without any restrictions. Whilst we leave in July, we are already booked to return in September.

Like many we just wish the residency process was quicker.

[waddo]

BJB, You say you have never handed anyone a brown envelope under the counter? Yet you pay a "Pucca" agent to do exactly that same thing? The expression of the "Brown Envelope" is simply that - you pay extra to get things done, properly - however, if the "Pucca" agent can jump the que and get you where you want to be faster, then it is either illegal or they are paying somebody else to get it done for you. No such thing as a free lunch, ever was and never will be - there is always some sort of "cost" involved.

If there are such things as "Government approved Agents" they would still have to follow the same steps - via the computer system - as anyone else, therefore I would suggest that the "Pucca" agent either "Knows somebody in the right place" or applies the same "Brown Envelope" principle as everyone else. Otherwise, nobody would use the computer system and there would be even greater backlogs caused by those actions.

Again, there is no point saying that the Government could make a lot more money by speeding up the process - https://www.yeniduzen.com/bes-ilcede-as ... 52662h.htm - that link proves they don't need to when you count the number of fines that will have been applied in just one day in one week, I would also suggest that the amount of income from those fines will rapidly exceed any "Residency" payments made in the same time period!

It's all a game and part of living here - in the main, Temp Residents do not pay income tax on earnings here but work permit holders do so - all dealt with through the same office/system so guess who they want to come first? Don't think it out to much, just enjoy life.

[Hector]

It appears then, that no one actually knows the answer.

We may get it within 30 days, on the other hand we might not;
We can apply and have a police station visit and leave the TRNC without stopping the application, on the other hand it might do and have to start again;
It's down to the 'brown envelope' to speed it up, on the other hand it isn't;
we could pay an agent to do all it for us, or it might not be necessary...

[Hector]

Just read this on Facebook post
"Returned to UK in March with my husband. Before we flew my residency had been received but husband's stuck at 60%. Checked with agent and told it would be OK to fly. However, he was charged £860 overstay penalty at Ercan. They would not let him back in without paying. Then they wanted it paid in cash and tl, which we didn't have. Ended up paying by debit card, took an age and 2 hours to sort. Didn't leave the airport until 1 am, everyone else through by 11pm. Apparently you have 60 days after your police appointment after that you are susceptible to penalty on return. We're hoping to get it back after applying for residency in time and investing in this country "

[waddo]

Hector,That is about dead right - sad - but right nonetheless! It makes you wonder if you are really welcome here after all I suppose. We have been doing this for 15 years now and every year something changes, I have no answer for it at all I am afraid, will see what happens this year when it is time to once again learn a new system (new government always means a new system) or maybe I could become a student?????

[alphamike]

Thanks for posting that Hector. Looks like I will have to do a trip to Lefkosa, as intending to return to UK at some point during the lengthy residency process. It's absolutely ridiculous that someone gets a hefty fine through lengthy wait time and through no fault of their own.

[snd1966]

It seems the system in place for residency it must be completed within 60 days but unfortunately due to the number of people applying and their daily goal of processing applications it seems many people do not achieve their residency in this period. Then due to no fault of their own people get fines if they need to leave the island. I assume this has been highlighted but no procedure put in place. The island needs visitors
Gone are the days when I was on a work permit, the accountant saying it must be processed within 90 days but unless you had a current visa you couldn't leave so on the day it expired I would go and sit in no man's land from 23:50 to 00:20 to receive 30 days, then after 29 days go back again etc until it was processed to enable me to leave in an emergency.
So now assume the advice is don't leave after 60 days unless you have permission, more interruptions for the processing staff!

[frugal90]

It's a boorach!

[PoshinDevon]

The last couple of posts really highlight the problem.

Under the previous not on line system, after presenting your papers at the police station for checking you were then advised to wait for approx 4 weeks before taking the trip to Lefkosa, joining the crowds and hopefully eventually completing your application that day. The four week timeframe was to ensure your paperwork received and make sure you travelled to complete the process. We used to make it a day out! Up early, travelled arriving by 8am, took a book to read and hoped we would be out by lunchtime!

It is incredibly frustrating that after having complied with everything on the on line system that it should be so slow. Made even worse to be restricted on travel out of the TRNC after a period of time and being fined for doing so!

Hopefully our application will progress as I don’t feel comfortable with making appointments to speed up our application, but we have to return to the U.K. in 8 weeks so will have no choice.

I would have thought that organisations such as the BRS. TFR, NC Ex Pats and ATA would have been all over this issue in order to highlight it and get it resolved by the relevant authorities. Maybe they are, but I haven’t read or heard about it.

I can accept the system being overwhelmed but not being fined for something which really is beyond an individual’s control.

It really doesn’t help make the TRNC feel like a welcoming place for all.

[alphamike]

It's a boorach!

One of my favourite words.

[JoandJelly]

If you apply as soon as you arrive you will go to the police after 2 weeks. With an agency to help you if you leave they will complete it for you and print off your visa. You dont have to be present as they do every thing for you.

I was told categorically by the head of the department (via my very well connected TC neighbour who was trying to get my residency finalised for me) that they cannot/will not process your application if you are out of the country. I left on 60% and after returning and my neighbour chasing for me it took another 3 weeks to come through. My husband's residency was approved whilst I was away and he is my sponsor.

[Deniz1]

After the police visit its all done on line no further visits any where so dont see why.

[PoshinDevon]

After the police visit its all done on line no further visits any where so dont see why.

That would seem logical, but unfortunately it appears not to be the case.

That’s why it’s so frustrating.

[kerry 6138]

If you apply as soon as you arrive you will go to the police after 2 weeks. With an agency to help you if you leave they will complete it for you and print off your visa. You dont have to be present as they do every thing for you.

I was told categorically by the head of the department (via my very well connected TC neighbour who was trying to get my residency finalised for me) that they cannot/will not process your application if you are out of the country. I left on 60% and after returning and my neighbour chasing for me it took another 3 weeks to come through. My husband's residency was approved whilst I was away and he is my sponsor.

That was also my experience both applied same day same police appt.
Partners granted while I was in UK for 3 weeks, waited 2 weeks once I returned, visited immigration application completed same day.

[Hector]

Can I clarify? If we visit for 28 days, we can apply online as soon as we arrive and should get an appointment at the police station fairly quickly. Once done (we don't need blood tests) then if we wait a week or so, we can go to Immigration in Lefkosa and just ask for it to be granted straight away so we can then return to the UK either with the residency visa or able to download it later?

Or, once we arrive, we go to an Agency i.e. ExPats Consultancy who will do it all for us?