# advice on moving to cyprus



## barry straw (Mar 3, 2014)

Hi to all on this site. I have just joined today so pls be kind to a newby.
My wife and i are planning a move to cyprus sometime in the near future(as soon as our house is sold)
We have twin 4 year old girls and think the time is right to leave the country that we have become increasingly dissolusioned with. We are looking at renting for a year or two to start with before we commit to buying. We would really appreciate all the advice we can get re- schooling, best areas for british communities and visas/permits we may need.
Many thanks in advance.
Barry.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I have moved this thread to the main Cyprus discussion forum as you are more likely to get answers there.

A few questions which will be asked are have you got well paid jobs to come to?
Will you have a good back up funds to enable you to return to the UK if things don't work out?

Veronica


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## barry straw (Mar 3, 2014)

*Thanks Veronica*

Thank you for your quick responce, nither of us have jobs sorted as yet. I am a self employed bathroom fitter, i can do plumbing, carpentry, tiling and plenty more handyman stuff. We will have a very large "kitty" once our house is sold, that should keep us in good stead if things dont work out. Could you pls tell me if we need visas or permits as we are comming there to live and work ? And are all english speaking schools have fees or are some free ?
Thanks again.
Barry.


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## Pam n Dave (Jun 11, 2007)

My advice is that you need to do much more homework, your questions demonstrate your lack of knowledge.

My opinion is that you need to do the research (we can help with that) and then put your house on the market if that is then what you choose to do. You appear to be doing it the wrong way round and are in danger of making a big mistake that may adversely affect your family.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

It is not a good idea to come without very well paid jobs already in the bag with young children. All English language schools are private, fee paying and to put two children through school is very expensive.
You would also need to have private health insurance and that is expensive for a family of four. 
Jobs are very hard to find these days with many Cypriots out of work and many non Cypriots leaving to go back their own countries as they can't find work.


The one good thing is that the children are young and at that age their schooling would not be too badly disrupted if things don't work out and you have to return to the Uk. 
On the other hand you could find yourselves having to go back with much less money than you came with and having to start again from scratch in the UK.

Cyprus is a great place to live if you don't have to work but with a young family it is very difficult. This is the reason that most expats are older people with pensions who either don't have to work at all or just need little part time jobs to supplement their incomes. Those non Cypriots who are here working are mostly eastern Europeans who will work for low wages.

My advice is do not risk it. At least in the UK with young children if things go wrong you can get help from the state, you cannot get that here.

Veronica


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## Guest (Mar 4, 2014)

Veronica said:


> It is not a good idea to come without very well paid jobs already in the bag with young children. All English language schools are private, fee paying and to put two children through school is very expensive.
> You would also need to have private health insurance and that is expensive for a family of four.
> Jobs are very hard to find these days with many Cypriots out of work and many non Cypriots leaving to go back their own countries as they can't find work.
> 
> ...


I agree with Veronica in full, but we just have to set one thing right. As self employed you and your family have the right to public healthcare. I assume from your post that you have paid in to the healthcare system in UK at least 3 years.

But the other posters are right, coming here and have to work and have the children in private school is almost impossible today.

But keep your dream alive for the future

Anders


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## barry straw (Mar 3, 2014)

*family advice*

Hi to replyers, we appreciate your advice re schooling and work. Having browsed many similar forum sites, the most common mistake made by expats moving there is bying before trying. The best advice weve had so far is to rent a couple of years, seeing how things work out, then make the decisions based on that, rather than more negative views of "dont try it at all " ! Not sure how long some of you have been away or retired from work in the uk, but with the current eu legislation the uk is being forced to open up its boarders to all immigrants rather than what we need to have done years ago and close them. This has made the uk the worst country in europe for cheep foreign workers snapping up all the jobs in this country skilled or unskilled. That said we will be doing alot more research before taking the plunge.
Any advice from younger expats with children would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards.
Barry.


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## barry straw (Mar 3, 2014)

*sound advice anders*



Vegaanders said:


> I agree with Veronica in full, but we just have to set one thing right. As self employed you and your family have the right to public healthcare. I assume from your post that you have paid in to the healthcare system in UK at least 3 years.
> 
> But the other posters are right, coming here and have to work and have the children in private school is almost impossible today.
> 
> ...


Many thanks Anders, i am intending to register as self employed so knowing about the healthcare is very helpful indeed.


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## Kaymd (Jan 15, 2014)

Don't forget that it's the open EU borders that are enabling you to consider being an immigrant in Cyprus!


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## barry straw (Mar 3, 2014)

*:~|*

Yeah thanks for stating the obvious Kaymd, anybody got anything usefull to say ?


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## Guest (Mar 4, 2014)

barry straw said:


> Many thanks Anders, i am intending to register as self employed so knowing about the healthcare is very helpful indeed.


You will need a recidense permit to be here more then 90 days but it is really a formality that you fix when you are here

Anders


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

As a relatively young ex-pat (at least when I moved over) now with three kids (including a set of twins) I would agree entirely with the more mature advisers that have given very sound advice, in my opinion. The state schooling is ‘free’ but it is understandably in Greek. As a result, as my kids grow up, I cannot understand them fully (although they do speak to me in English), but as I’m working hard to make ends meet, I don’t get to spend as much time with them as I would want to and I am therefore missing out on half of what they say, and slowly but surely they are becoming more Greek that British and often times simply can’t be bothered to translate for me. (English is no longer a mandatory language taught in schools – it is now an option that fewer and fewer students are taking). I know it’s my opportunity to learn the language and join in, but I simply don’t have time. Private schooling is not an option, for us as it is too expensive. Healthcare costs are also something to be considered. There is currently no NHS here and plans to implement one are constantly delayed. We therefore pay for routine healthcare privately. I know that we could queue up and join the throngs using the ‘state system’ such as it exists, but we have not had a very good experience of the state system (in Nicosia) – others, I know in other locations have had positive experiences, but dealing with red tape here can be a very alienating experience. 
There is also no safety net here at all if things get difficult (beyond the strong family network which would not be open to you presumably if you do not have Cypriot ties). In my time here I have seen many ex-pat families packing their bags and returning home to the UK – for all its faults, the UK does a very good job of looking after those in need (arguably including those that have arrived there courtesy of the EU policies of freedom of movement and employment). Although a member of the EU, Cyprus remains in infringement in many policy areas including employment rights – there are therefore many European migrant workers here undercutting each other for what little work there is. Even so many of those have also packed their bags and returned home as desperate Cypriots start to reconsider their attitude to jobs that they considered ‘beneath them’ in the good old days of economic prosperity. So in short, living here is as expensive as the UK but without the benefits of free education and half-decent healthcare and benefits systems. I have a fairly decent job here, as does my wife and we earn probably above average for Cyprus (but MUCH less than we had grown accustomed to in the UK where salaries are much higher). We would not be able to cope here without the family network (my wife was originally from Cyprus) and we rely on family members for day care, school pick-ups etc and would not be able to afford to live here if we did not have the support of family (kindergarten schools start here at 7:00 and home time is between 12:00 and 1:30) – actually school hours is a big headache for most as the school hours and copious school holidays do not match up with the average working life.
A search through the schooling thread will give more insights into the challenges faced when making decisions that need to be made. Good luck in your research.


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Your optimism and desires for yourself and family are admirable but unfortunately your timing is not. You will have now felt that the views being put forward are very negative and pessimistic and it is easy to ignore these when you are fired up with life improvement optimism.

I have posted many times the basic guide for people wishing to come to Cyprus to live:
Cyprus is great place to retire to if you have the dosh.
Cyprus is a lousy place to come to if you have to work and if you have young kids.

I would advise you to channel your optimism into more constructive plans in the UK and if possible come here for long, enjoyable holidays.

Pete


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## Guest (Mar 4, 2014)

PeteandSylv said:


> Your optimism and desires for yourself and family are admirable but unfortunately your timing is not. You will have now felt that the views being put forward are very negative and pessimistic and it is easy to ignore these when you are fired up with life improvement optimism.
> 
> I have posted many times the basic guide for people wishing to come to Cyprus to live:
> Cyprus is great place to retire to if you have the dosh.
> ...


One thing is unclear though. He saz he will sell his house. If he gets a million pounds or so I would saz he can give it a go....:fingerscrossed:
Anders


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## MacManiac (Jan 25, 2012)

This thread seems to be following a familiar theme, and I do know some of the contributors sound a little harsh - but they are not being so, trust me.

So many people look to come to Cyprus as they did in that golden age when prices were cheap and employment plentiful. But this is not the case anymore. Times are hard for many Cypriots and also for non-Cypriots attempting to make a living here.

The advice from friends of mine on here is that Cyprus is a marvellous place to live when you have a secure income from the UK, and many of us have index-linked income from there, and so is still true. But with young children, no employment and possibly no likelihood of employment, you need to stand back and take stock in my opinion.

Perhaps the way forward would be to rent your home in the UK, which should cover any rental in Cyprus (and hopefully help with other bills), come over for six/twelve months with sufficient money to cover your costs and the possible flight home, and see what happens.

Do not burn your boats in the UK as you will possibly live to regret it. We have been here nearly eighteen months, but have secure income (pension and other UK income) and grown-up children, and have never regretted it for a moment. Our friends on here have valuable advice to give and do not want you to join the many expats who return from Cyprus with their tails between their legs, much poorer and wishing they had researched more.

Good luck whatever you choose ... but proceed with care. Cyprus will still be here in the future.


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## barry straw (Mar 3, 2014)

*genuine thanks*

This is exactly the advice i have been searching for, positive and negative but above all knowlageable, honest and informative. For that i thank all who have given there time to contribute. My wife and i now have some decisions to make.
Thanks again.
Best regards.
Barry.


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