# American considering Cyprus



## diablogun (Sep 11, 2011)

Hi folks,

I am from the U.S., and planning a move to Europe, and am trying to decide where would be the best fit. I am 40 years old, with 1 child and 1 on the way, so I want to settle in a country that is family-friendly. My wife is Russian (though a U.S. citizen) and got me thinking about Cyprus. 

In looking at the Cyprus govt website, it would appear we would go under the category F visa, as I have a U.S. government pension that would probably total around 3500 Euros a month. I also will want to work over the Internet for clients in the U.S., which should provide a bit of income in addition to the base. Does this sound like a reasonable option? My wife is a housewife, so I need to make all the money 

Anyway, I am planning a 2-week trip in April to check things out. My children I would want to put in Greek schools, as the whole purpose of this endeavor is to get my children fluent in as many languages as possible, in addition to living in a good place with access to much of the culture and history that fascinates me. 

By the way, is Cypriot Greek completely understandable, and vice versa, with Greek Greek?

Also, what are the better areas to live that may be more relaxed and cheaper? I do not usually like the most crowded places for living--though do not like the "sticks" either. I would want to find a place that I could have the biggest house that I could get either built or acquired almost new.

Finally, in the long run, in coming under the F visa, is citizenship an option after 5 years? There does not seem to be anything against it from the government regulations, but as always I know that people that have been through this sort of thing are the best to ask.

In advance, I thank you for your time and wisdom.


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## iofgondor (Sep 12, 2011)

I have been living in Cyprus for two years now having had moved from South Africa. In my case it was a bit easier because I happen to have dual citizenship. 

Cyprus is a family friendly country. Generally speaking raising a family in this part of the world is relatively safe. Obviously one has to always be vigilant when it comes to children’s safety but the crime rate is low compared to other places and it is very rare that you come across violence towards children. Again one always needs to be careful. 

Don’t expect to easily make friends with the locals. This is still a relatively closed society beyond its western veneer. Despite this it has a large population of English, Russians and a few other nationalities. In your case a good place to be would be Limassol or Paphos with the first being quite cosmopolitan and the latter a bit more laid back. Both places though offer a large expat population which will make it easier to integrate yourself and create some friendships. 

Cypriot Greek is very different to mainland Greek. Your kids will end up speaking both as the language medium at the local schools has always been mainland Greek. Your major problem will not be the language but the cultural elements your children will start picking up from their interaction with others. It is sad to point out but I am not so fond of a lot of cultural elements in this country. One thing that always bugs me is this arrogance and lack of respect towards others which kids as you know quickly pick up from their peers. On the other hand there are a few English speaking schools and you may want to consider those instead. I stand corrected but I think there is also an american academy in Nicosia. In any case living in the country with a few extra lessons and friendships children easily create it won’t be difficult for them to learn Greek as well. 

I would advice, you first rent for about a year and then consider buying or building. It’s always good to be sure that the place will suit your needs before committing yourself to it. Besides, if you were to just come here and buy, the estate agents will take you for a ride. Am not even gonna talk about building expenses and how they exorbitantly rise when you either don’t know what you’re getting into or even worse, when you’re a foreigner. Overall prices have been dropping the last couple years due to the global financial crisis and due to the fact that a lot of english expats are moving back to the Uk. Hence relatively cheap properties can be found but one needs to be patient and look around.

Acquiring citizenship on the long run will not be a problem for either you or your wife. Am not sure how many years it takes but the Cypriot authorities are understanding and accommodating with Russian, American, British and generally speaking Western citizens. It would have been a different thing if you were an Arab. They have had problems at some stage with the Arab workers that used to come down here and now they just don’t care whether the guy has been staying here for a year or twenty years. In fact they are now following a policy of refusal to approve or renew any visas towards Arabs and quick expulsion for those who’s visas expired and are still found in the country. 

If you need any more info you can find me on google+ under phivos chagal


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## Cleo Shahateet (Feb 23, 2009)

The following may be helpful of you really want to become a Cypriot citizen. I would just stick with the permanent residence status myself. 

To become a citizen of Cyprus, the procedure is the same for both Europeans and third-country nationals.

An application on form M127 may be submitted by an adult applicant, legally residing in Cyprus for 8 years, of which the last year he/she has been constantly residing in Cyprus.

The following documents, duly certified, are required:

•A birth certificate
•Passport
•A certificate of good character issued by the Police Authorities in Cyprus 
•2 photographs
•The publication in a Cypriot newspaper for 2 consecutive days of the person's intension to apply for naturalisation


As for Cyprus being cheaper, you will find it is the same if not more expensive than the US depending on where in the US you are. We relocated from the Washington, DC area which is on the higher side when it comes to cost of living and Cyprus is more expensive than that. If the public Greek schools don't work out then you would have to pay for the private schools which are really costly. Your pension of 3500 Euros would be enough but it would not be an extravagant lifestyle especially if you have to pay for schools. The extra income would definitely make you more comfortable and may be necessary depending on your lifestyle. 

Cyprus is safe as for never having had random child abductions and things like that but on a day to day basis you will miss the conveniences of the US as in - sidewalks having cars parked on them so no stroller access, not having changing tables, high chairs and the like readily available and all the other things that make your life very easy in the U.S. You will have your pros and cons like any place but I would highly recommend visiting for at least a month or more before you pack up and move permantly. 

Good luck from a fellow American! ;-)


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## diablogun (Sep 11, 2011)

Cleo Shahateet said:


> The following may be helpful of you really want to become a Cypriot citizen. I would just stick with the permanent residence status myself.
> 
> To become a citizen of Cyprus, the procedure is the same for both Europeans and third-country nationals.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the information, it is highly helpful


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## diablogun (Sep 11, 2011)

iofgondor said:


> I have been living in Cyprus for two years now having had moved from South Africa. In my case it was a bit easier because I happen to have dual citizenship.
> 
> Cyprus is a family friendly country. Generally speaking raising a family in this part of the world is relatively safe. Obviously one has to always be vigilant when it comes to children’s safety but the crime rate is low compared to other places and it is very rare that you come across violence towards children. Again one always needs to be careful.
> 
> ...


I really appreciate your insight, thank you very much


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

If you are looking for the best areas to live without too much hustle and bustle you should consider the Paphos area or the Larnaca area.
Limassol and Nicosia are much busier and also more expensive in terms of house prices etc.
We chose Paphos after looking at other areas as we find it prettier and much greener than the Larnaca area.
We have been here almost 7 years now and love it.


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## Miss Daisy (Jan 24, 2011)

I moved to Cyprus permanently this past year, although I had been coming back and forth for the previous year getting my household set up. I visited Cyprus for 2 weeks and had it on my list of places to possibly move to and then I spent 3 months living in Cyprus to determine whether I really wanted to live here permanently. I don't think that 2 weeks is enough time to make that decision. During the 3 months I got a very good feel for the cost of things, what was required for residency, the area I wanted to live in, etc. I have no regrets.

For a residency permit, which you will need to live here for more than 90 days, you need:

- your passport
- 2 passport size photos
- copies of your bank statements
- copies of a Cyprus bank statement showing sufficient funds in Cyprus (I do not know what this amount is for a family, but I suspect it is around 10-12,000 Euros)
- copy of your pension statement
- proof of health insurance in Cyprus (you will have to buy health insurance here for your entire family)
- copy of home purchase contract or rental agreement

You may need a copy of your marriage license. I don't know the details for families.

You will also have to have your Cyprus bank set aside some money for an expatriation fee should you behave badly and are asked to leave. For me this amount was 855 Euros, I do not know how much it is for a family. The bank will have to provide proof of this and they have a fee of course.

There is a fee for the residency permit. My first permit fee was around 70 Euros. I just renewed my permit and it was around 35 Euros. The same documentation is required to renew the permit each year.

This year I asked about the permit renewal and if there was an option for a longer term permit. I was told that there is a 5-year permit, which I assume is the F-type visa. You apply for the F-visa at the same time you apply for the residency permit (I suppose because if you are denied the 5-year one, you get the 1-year one). The same items listed above are required. In addition, you have to provide a criminal record report from the FBI (so plan ahead if you are going to do this as it takes some time and coordination - you have to be fingerprinted for the FBI criminal record search). You also have to provide affidavits from your bank(s) verifying the account values. When I questioned this further, I discovered that a notarized copy of an account valuation letter from your US bank will suffice - none of my banks will provide an affidavit. I will be applying for the F-visa when I renew my permit next year.

If you decide to buy a car in Cyprus, you will need your residency permit to register the car in your name. This was a big surprise to me, and so be forewarned. It takes at least a month to get your residency permit, so a visit to immigration should be your first order of business. Also, when you get insurance for your car in Cyprus, you may have to provide something from your previous car insurance company (In the US) showing your claim history. Again, this is something easier to arrange from the US.

I believe that there is a scheme here that if you purchase a property that costs 500,000 Euros or more, you do not have to go through the 8 year waiting period to apply for citizenship. I cannot recall if this is applicable to only Russians (RUssians seem to be the ones buying the 500,000 Euro properties). It does not apply to me as my property cost nowhere near that much.

Also be advised that developers will tell you that you will be entitled to a VAT grant (refund) if you buy a new property here. *You will not.* This only applies to EU citizens. I know this for certain because I applied and was denied by the government authority that administers the program. I was 99% sure I would not qualify, but I applied anyway because I wanted the government to tell me no, rather than rely on my interpretation.

I'm just curious about your pension. I hope you don't mind me being so bold in asking if you collecting this pension now at the age of 40? Are you retired from the military?

I hope this information helps you.


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