# Immigration



## Sunshineshirl01 (Mar 9, 2015)

How long does the Immigration process take?


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## southcoastlady (Apr 18, 2015)

Sunshineshirl01 said:


> How long does the Immigration process take?


we went to the office in Paphos, got our appointment and list of documents to take with us. Went back for appointment and it took about 10 minutes from start to finish! Brilliant.
The worst thing was finding the office!!!


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## Sunshineshirl01 (Mar 9, 2015)

Hi,
Thank you for the reply. Did you have to wait long for your appointment.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Sunshineshirl01 said:


> Hi,
> Thank you for the reply. Did you have to wait long for your appointment.


It can be a short waiting time. But it take some time to collect all documents they need,


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## southcoastlady (Apr 18, 2015)

Sunshineshirl01 said:


> Hi,
> Thank you for the reply. Did you have to wait long for your appointment.


It was about 4 weeks for our appointment. We had all our papers, I just had to do photocopies of everything.

I get my state pension from the UK. I am not sure what papers you would need if you or your partner do not get a state pension.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

southcoastlady said:


> It was about 4 weeks for our appointment. We had all our papers, I just had to do photocopies of everything.
> 
> I get my state pension from the UK. I am not sure what papers you would need if you or your partner do not get a state pension.


They will get a list of needed documents when they make the appointment


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## southcoastlady (Apr 18, 2015)

Baywatch said:


> They will get a list of needed documents when they make the appointment


That is what I have already said.


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## expatme (Dec 4, 2013)

To make an appointment you MUST take you passports with you.


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## RMcC (Dec 31, 2013)

southcoastlady said:


> we went to the office in Paphos, got our appointment and list of documents to take with us. Went back for appointment and it took about 10 minutes from start to finish! Brilliant.
> The worst thing was finding the office!!!


Hi, I have been meaning to respond to this for a while and give a different account of an experience of the immigration process. 
I agree one of the hardest tasks is finding the office! 
Our initial contact with the office was to make an appointment and obtain a list of documents required, this was achieved with little fuss, albeit the women on reception is not very welcoming!!!, you must have your passport with you to make an appointment.
We arrived on the day of our appointment and like a good ex military man I ensured we were there at 10.20 for our planned 10.30 appointment. On arrival the waiting room was pretty full with a number of agents chating to the women on reception, I waited in line until they had finished(approx 10mins), showed my sheet to the receptionist only to be waved away and told to take a seat(without our details being checked). 
The next hour was interesting to say the least, utter chaos, with people coming and going, speaking in very loud voices and a number clearly jumping the queue. We eventually got called in just before midday and the lady dealing with us was more interested in talking to others in the office that she made at least 4 errors while processing our application. we eventulally emerged some 30 mins later with yellow slips.
So not all experiences of the immigration process are as slick as mentioned above. we may have been unlucky and hit the office on a bad day but thought it worth sharing our experience.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

RMcC said:


> Hi, I have been meaning to respond to this for a while and give a different account of an experience of the immigration process.
> I agree one of the hardest tasks is finding the office!
> Our initial contact with the office was to make an appointment and obtain a list of documents required, this was achieved with little fuss, albeit the women on reception is not very welcoming!!!, you must have your passport with you to make an appointment.
> We arrived on the day of our appointment and like a good ex military man I ensured we were there at 10.20 for our planned 10.30 appointment. On arrival the waiting room was pretty full with a number of agents chating to the women on reception, I waited in line until they had finished(approx 10mins), showed my sheet to the receptionist only to be waved away and told to take a seat(without our details being checked).
> ...


Mine took about the 10 minutes said, but my wife's took the help of SOLVIT to sort out.


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## madcow (Jan 10, 2010)

On our list was bring Cyprus bank statement signed by the bank . I got ours done 2 weeks before our appointment , but when we got there , we were told it wasn't recent enough and was sent out to find a local branch and have the statements done again .


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## MrSpadge (Jun 7, 2015)

I can't be doing with that nonsense. I shall retain my illegal alien status until either caught or elected to high office.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

RMcC said:


> We arrived on the day of our appointment and like a good ex military man I ensured we were there at 10.20 for our planned 10.30 appointment. On arrival the waiting room was pretty full with a number of agents chating to the women on reception, I waited in line until they had finished(approx 10mins), showed my sheet to the receptionist only to be waved away and told to take a seat(without our details being checked).
> The next hour was interesting to say the least, utter chaos, with people coming and going, speaking in very loud voices and a number clearly jumping the queue. We eventually got called in just before midday and the lady dealing with us was more interested in talking to others in the office that she made at least 4 errors while processing our application.


I'm pleased to say that we had none of these problems when we went to Immigration, but I fully accept that the experience can be different for everyone. 

One of the things in our favour is that when I made the appointment, I had not yet arranged medical insurance, which was a pre-requisite for us. I therefore asked for an appointment some 6 weeks later, which put us beyond the 90 day window, but we were told that this would not pose a problem as we had applied within the specified 90 days. As the interview date was so far in advance, we were given an appointment time (I think) of 0815 which was the first appointment of the day. We met Diane and Keith (DH 59) there at the same time. What neither of us realised, however, is that many potential immigrants are given the same time on their appointment card, but there was also another number on the card which indicated your position in the queue at that time! Ours was /1 which ensured that we were seen very quickly and we were processed within around 15 mins.

For anyone who has not yet gone through the procedure and who may be reading this thread - a simple warning/tip/heads up (call it what you will). At Immigration, you are dealing with civil servants in a formal work environment. Whilst there is no need for you to go in formal attire (tie etc) they do not welcome the flip flop and sleeveless T shirt brigade (for men) or bikini top for women, which so many Expats here think is acceptable dress in banks, tax offices, Customs and of course Immigration. A little respect shown to such people in their work environment will always, in my experience, be reciprocated.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Thank you David.

I could never understand why they threw me out when I was wearing a perfectly respectable mankini.

Pete


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

PeteandSylv said:


> Thank you David.
> 
> I could never understand why they threw me out when I was wearing a perfectly respectable mankini.
> 
> Pete


An uncanny resemblance, Pete.


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## mapa (Feb 4, 2015)

We've been advised to try and identify who has the number before/after you as people try to jump the queue, which shouldn't be a problem (you would think) if you're No 1. We have an 8.30 appointment and are nos 7 & 8.

Mapa


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

David_&_Letitia said:


> An uncanny resemblance, Pete.


Yep he wore that when we went up to the North with them earlier this year. Twas a sight to behold


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