Cyprus to Give British Expats Residency Rights After Brexit

As time is running out to reach a Brexit deal fears of a hard exit is causing sleepless nights for British expats in Cyprus. The country has now decided that Britons who have been continuously residents for 5 years in Cyprus will be granted residency rights after Britain leaves.

The Interior Ministry has published a guide that sets out how Cyprus intends to practically implement the provisions of the withdrawal agreement concerning the residence rights of British expats.

UK nationals and their family members who, by December 31, 2020, have been continuously resident in Cyprus for five years will be eligible for permanent residence.

It added that UK nationals and their family members who already reside in Cyprus or arrive by December 31, 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, it said, “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 the Withdrawal Agreement.”

Over 80,000 british expats reside in Cyprus according to the latest official figures.

Source: internationalinvestment.net