# Residency - Should I be self-employed before or after?



## AMMG (Dec 10, 2015)

Hi everyone,

After living in Cyprus between 1992 and 2003 (as a child with my parents), I shall be returning to settle in February 2016. I plan to be self employed.

I am a British citizen and have a Thai wife. I am aware of the requirements for residency applications for the both of us as there are plenty of threads about this.

My question here is:

Which comes first? Residency or self-employment registration?

If I were to register as self-employed immediately on arrival and obtain a social security number, would this help my residency application (and, ultimately, my wife's)? Or must you be registered as a resident before you can register as self-employed?

Thank you for any advice.

Alun


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

AMMG said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> After living in Cyprus between 1992 and 2003 (as a child with my parents), I shall be returning to settle in February 2016. I plan to be self employed.
> 
> ...


You must first register as self-employed and pay in the first contribution to the social fund before you get your residency. Your wife will get her residency as a dependent of you. It will take some more time for her, because her papers must go to Nicosia. But they can't deny her. She should get a 5 year residency the first time and then permanent when she re-apply. You both make the application at the same time, within 90 days from arrival


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## Talagirl (Feb 24, 2013)

Very useful information Anders - have put it on file.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Talagirl said:


> Very useful information Anders - have put it on file.


It is useful for many it seems, I answer questions about it almost every day.


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## AMMG (Dec 10, 2015)

Baywatch said:


> You must first register as self-employed and pay in the first contribution to the social fund before you get your residency. Your wife will get her residency as a dependent of you. It will take some more time for her, because her papers must go to Nicosia. But they can't deny her. She should get a 5 year residency the first time and then permanent when she re-apply. You both make the application at the same time, within 90 days from arrival


Thank you for this. I shall be sure to register as self employed and get the ball rolling as soon as I arrive.


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## AMMG (Dec 10, 2015)

Baywatch said:


> You must first register as self-employed and pay in the first contribution to the social fund before you get your residency. Your wife will get her residency as a dependent of you. It will take some more time for her, because her papers must go to Nicosia. But they can't deny her. She should get a 5 year residency the first time and then permanent when she re-apply. You both make the application at the same time, within 90 days from arrival


Hi Anders.

Further to your helpful information above, perhaps you could expand on this.

I am aware that I need some form of health insurance when applying for residency. If I am already registered as self-employed and have started paying into the social insurance system (as per your recommendation), would this be classed as sufficient health insurance for immigration?

Would it cover my wife's residency application also? Ie, is it a family coverage?

I have read somewhere that I can't apply for a medical card until I have paid in for at least 3 years. But, as I understand it, the medical card determines your payments for treatment based on your annual income. Perhaps the fact that I am paying in at all will cover me for immigration purposes but if I need treatment, I would be paying the full amount in the government hospital.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts. You have proven to be an invaluable source of information so far. Thank you.

Alun


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