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Implementing the agreement on the withdrawal of the united kingdom of great britain

Implementing the agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain

Implementing the agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community: RESIDENCE RIGHTS AND RESIDENCE DOCUMENTS IN THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS

The below mentioned information aims to address the following issue: how Cyprus intends to practically implement the provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement concerning residence rights of United Kingdom (UK) nationals and their family members, including family members who are third country nationals, in view of the UK leaving the European Union (EU).

In line with the draft Withdrawal Agreement published in March, its implementation will mean that:

  • UK nationals and their family members who, by 31 December 2020, have been continuously resident in Cyprus for five years will be eligible for permanent residence.
  • UK nationals and their family members who already reside in Cyprus or arrive by 31 December 2020 but will not yet have been continuously resident in Cyprus for five years, will be eligible for residence, enabling them to stay until they have reached the five-year threshold, allowing them to apply for permanent residence.
  • UK nationals and their family members who are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, will be able to continue their lives in Cyprus, with the same access to work, study, benefits and public services that they enjoy now, subject to the specific provisions provided for in Withdrawal Agreement.

Key issues:

The Withdrawal Agreement: The EU has reached an agreement with the UK on citizens’ rights, ahead of the UK leaving the EU on 29 March 2019. This Agreement will become legally binding once it is set into force.

Who it covers: The Withdrawal Agreement will protect those UK nationals and their family members who have already exercised or will exercise their free movement rights in Cyprus before 1 January 2021 (before the end of the transition period).

Transition period: It is the period immediately after the UK leaves the EU, which starts on 30 March 2019 and lasts until 31 December 2020. During this period free movement of UK nationals and their family members will continue.

How it works for UK nationals:

a. UK nationals and their family member who have already exercised or will exercise free movement in Cyprus before 1 January 2021 but, until 31 December 2020 will not have completed continuous residence of five years, will be eligible for residence.

b. Those who will have completed five years of continuous residence in Cyprus before 31 December 2020 will be eligible to acquire permanent residence.

c. Those who will not have completed five years of continuous residence in Cyprus, will be able to remain in Cyprus to build-up five years continuous residence. Commencement of this five-year period for both cases starts at the moment of exercising free movement rights, which may be at any time before and during the transition period.

d. UK citizens who want to come to Cyprus after the 31 December 2020 (end of the transition period), will need to meet Cyprus immigration rules.

How it works for UK nationals’ family members:

a. Existing family members of UK nationals covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, who are living in a country other than Cyprus on 31 December 2020 (end of the transition period), will be able to reunite in Cyprus with the UK national as a family member at any time in the future. They will then be eligible to qualify for permanent residence after completing five years of continuous residence.

b. Children born or adopted after the transition period by a UK national or their spouse/ partner in a civil union covered by the Withdrawal Agreement will enjoy the same rights as pre-existing family members. Future spouses and partners of UK citizens who want to come to Cyprus after the 31 December 2020 (end of the transition period), will need to meet Cyprus immigration rules.

Resident documents:

Holders of current resident documents (MEU1, MEU2, MEU3) will be able to continue to use them as means of proof for residence rights in Cyprus. Applications received up until the end of the transition period will be examined on the basis of the current free movement rules, and, if approved, will result to the issuance of the current residence documents. After the end of the transition period, holders of residence documents and eligible persons arriving in Cyprus will have the right, upon application, to receive a new type of residence document, which will include a statement that it has been issued in accordance with the Withdrawal Agreement.

Civil Registry and Migration Department