queues for temprorary residency

roncardboard


Joined: 19/05/2009
Posts: 87

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 14:22

can anyone explain to me ,why we are having queues at the police station when applying for residency

I have just applied for my 9th year and its the first time i have been given a number after queing from 6.30am

According to the media, we have less people on the island and expats are leaving at an alarming rate.

The new government promised to speed up all the problem areas which affect expats, so why do we seem to be going backwards

nurseawful



Joined: 06/02/2009
Posts: 5934

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 14:29

I think the number system was brought in because there was chaos at times with people queue jumping and even with the numbers certain people still try to do this. The other thing is people are getting their earlier and earlier.



Still immigration is easier now than when it was the wee office in the bus station in Lefkosa!



Chris

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 14:49

Msg. 2. Have you tried this new 'experience' yet?

Msg. 1

Having experienced exactly the same problem 2 weeks ago & also applying for the 9th time, I'd also like to know the answer to this one? Is this a new way of trying to make things better.........not.

I went twice. The first time at about 10.15 am on a Friday, as I have always done before, without any problem whatsover, in the past. Silly me. Told to come back another day at 7.30 am. About 40 people waiting.

Tried again the following Tuesday, having reasoned that Monday might not be a good day.

Wrong again. 7.30 am wasn't early enough & there was already quite a queue. Numbers handed out randomly at 7.40/7.45 am & finally got in at 10 am with ticket No. 11. They were giving one ticket to couples as well as singles on that day. Even so, there were only about 15 in front of me, so how does something that used to take approx. 5 mins per person, suddenly turn into such a fiasco. 2 hours, to process 15 applications?

ctd.

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 14:50

ctd.

Mind you they did have a 30 min. break at 9 am, when they locked the door. This was after only starting at 8 am. Only Policeman doing the process. 3 others sitting around drinking coffee.

When you finally make it into the office, there are constant interruptions from Mainland Turks, wanting to know what number they've got to, as well, so this slows things down.

Finally just 3 plastic chairs to sit on. More outside, but in the full sun. Just great for an elderly person, who has to do this in person, unlike the Lefkosa bit.

gates


Joined: 08/12/2008
Posts: 1096

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 15:01

always busy this time of year we went for ours in november no probs i now have work permit but wife goes no probs november and after is best time

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 15:06

gates

I have done it 8 times before & of course always at the same time of the year, because that's when it is due!!!

So I don't really have much choice about which month I go in?

It has always been much worse in Lefkosa than in the winter, because of summer hours. However there has NEVER been a problem at Girne PS before & this is what this thread is actually about.

nurseawful



Joined: 06/02/2009
Posts: 5934

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 15:09

Scruff I was there 2 weeks ago we got there at 7am the office opened at 8am numbers given out we were number 12 (2 of us) our friends were number 13 (2 of them) and we were out and on the road back to Lapta at 9am. No problem and they were very pleasant in the office.



Chris

stellasstar1



Joined: 02/07/2008
Posts: 1519

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 15:27

Ok Chris you were in and out qute quickly, but the point is we didn't used to have to arrive early and get a ticket. I have been here 4 years and in the past had just gone in any time of the morning and the most I think I ever waited was 10 or 15 minutes. This year in March, was totally different. On the advice of this board I went in at 7am(against my better judgment), but yes, already quite a few people already their, waiting. So as asked before, the question is why this year??????????????????

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 15:29

nurseawful.

I went Friday 8th August & again on Tuesday 10th. Obviously my experience, like the original poster in message 1 was not the same as yours. You were lucky, we were not so.

Yes they were pleasant in the office........when we finally got in.

All I & poster 1 are trying to find out is why this has changed for us since last year & so far nobody has been able to answer this? It used to take a maximum of 10 mins & this year it took 2.5 hrs from arrival. For me this is a backward step.

I would say that there are more British expats leaving, than arriving in the TRNC. as poster 1 has also suggested, so is this change due to more mainland Turkish coming here to work?

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 15:41

Thanks stellastar1. You've hit the nail on the head.

I have never, ever gone at 7 or 7.30 am before, because I've never had to. Whilst I was waiting on the 2nd attempt, no end of Brits turned up later & after about 9 am they were turned away.

They are only open until 11.45 am anyway.

Does the same, one person working, have to process work permits as well. When we finally got in, it only took 10 mins. to do two of us, so why did we have to wait so long?

nurseawful



Joined: 06/02/2009
Posts: 5934

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 15:46

Not wishing to upset anyone but surely the only people that can answer this question properly are the police in the immigration office.



Chris

Quarmby


Joined: 15/09/2008
Posts: 975

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 17:50

Why can't they stay open all day? or is that too obvious.

honestie


Joined: 22/02/2009
Posts: 468

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 17:57

dont think the work permits are done there unless its changed

joandjelly


Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 2953

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 19:07

When we went we had to wait ages but there weren't many Brits, mainly Turks and other nationalities.

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 20:02

Got to ask the question after having waited around from 08:45 till 11:58 before we got in to get our 4th year paperwork underway - why not just go for permanent residency after your 6th stamp and stop all this bother every year?????



It is only citizenship that has been stopped so why go every year when you don't have to?

nurseawful



Joined: 06/02/2009
Posts: 5934

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 20:06

We are doing our 6th year and have been told they are not processing permanent residencies.



Chris

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 20:38

Chris, do you mean you have five stamps already and are now getting your sixth? I think that is the time you can then apply - I know the rules changed again some time back. I guess that along with the citizenship shake up that is on the way the government will find no need for permanent residency. You either pass the test and take up citizenship or remain and annual temporary resident for the rest of time.



If the TRNC go the way that UK is going I guess we will all need basic Turkish before we will be allowed citizenship - I think that is an excellent idea myself and will try harder again this winter in anticipation of the requirement!



Still makes me wonder why those who could have taken permanent residency have continued to put themselves through the annual bun fight?

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 21:10

Waddo;



Chris is correct;



There is a stay on permanent residency.



Also you seem to assume that if applied for, permanent is guaranteed, that is a long way from the truth.



The only way this problem at the police station will get sorted is through the BRS.



The reason for all the mainlanders at this time of year is the amnesty given to them by the government last summer. As a result loads more of them do their residency at this time of year than any other month.

nostradamus


Joined: 15/04/2008
Posts: 557

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 22:21

Here's an idea. If you're over 60, why not just stop going for this annual charade anyway? There is no fine for not having residency if you are above this age so why bother? I have a number of acquaintances, all of whom having been living here years, who have simply abandoned this whole ridiculous palaver. Why, in the name of all that's reasonable, should you have to drive in to Girne at some unpalatable time of the morning just to hand in a lot of paper, most of which they already have? I also didn't mind so much in the past when there were no queues but now, utter stupidity.

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 22:38

From msg. 18

"The reason for all the mainlanders at this time of year is the amnesty given to them by the government last summer. As a result loads more of them do their residency at this time of year than any other month."

Thanks for that Newscoop. At last you could have hit on the real answer?

I'd also second what you said about Permanent Residency not being necvessarily granted. It's definitely not a foregone conclusion that you will get it, but by that time, you will have spent a considerable sum & jumped through hoops, only perhaps to be turned down.

msg 17

Waddo, the reasons why so many didn't take it up earlier.

No kocan, no permanent residency unless that has changed now, costly to get & with all the talks ongoing between ROC & TRNC since 2004 & the possibilty, however remote it now seems, of some sort of agreement, it wouldn't have been necessary if the TRNC became fully part of the EU, to have Permanent Residency. We'd all have been EU citizens in an EU country.

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 22:45

msg 19

Nostradamus. If I for one minute believed that it was unnecessary to get Temp. Residency, once over 60, then I too, would have abandoned this.

However I simply do not believe these rumours which are forever popping up. I would not like to risk an enormous fine or even worse be deported, even though I rarely leave the country & haven't since 2004.

You may know people who have "abandoned the palava", but have they left the country to test out whether it is needed or not?

Re. the remainder of your post, I couldn't agree with you more.

nostradamus


Joined: 15/04/2008
Posts: 557

Message Posted:
24/08/2010 08:56

Message 21: I have some friends who did not have residency. I went across the border with the husband, who was under 60, and he paid a fine of 1 month's minimum wage and then applied for his residency. The wife, who was over 60, did not get fined. This is the reason for my knowing that this is the case legally. The couple concerned had been here for 5 years without residency. I made the initial enquiries for them at the immigration department and it was they who confirmed this. Not just a rumour.

waddo


Joined: 29/11/2008
Posts: 1966

Message Posted:
24/08/2010 09:27

Scruff, thanks for that, I never thought of the Kockan bits as I leased for 49 years and did not have to go through all the bits about PTP and the rest - guess when you don't do it that it will not enter your mind about the problems of getting all the extra bits. Understand that permanent is now expensive to get (if it was still available) but just wondered why so many people never seemed to opt for it. We are here for life (hope to have a lot of years) so either permanent or even better citizenship is for us if it becomes available.

I am over 60 but still do the police/Lefcosia ques once a year and would not dream of trying to play the over 60 card - people get deported for far less and the law can change in an instant here - backwards as well as future - so not worth the risk.

With any luck the new system will sort it all out - of course it will cost more than now and yes the que will be even longer - that's life!

stellasstar1



Joined: 02/07/2008
Posts: 1519

Message Posted:
24/08/2010 10:52

Glad I got 2 years this year, maybe by the time I have to do it again, things will be back to normal, or an even greater maybe is that Cyprus will hve sorted itself out and come together, all the PTP's will be granted, all the rogue builders will be sorted out etc etc............to many things to list .

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
24/08/2010 11:39

msg. 24. Add to that list 'pigs flying' & you'll be about right.



msg.22.

"I made the initial enquiries for them at the immigration department and it was they who confirmed this. Not just a rumour."

Don't get me wrong. I am not disputing what you're saying. Sorry to keep on about this but i really would like to get to the bottom of it once & for all. I have always dismissed what they do at the green line. I don't think that I would rely on what they say there.

However, you say you checked at Lefkosa immigration dept? Who exactly did you ask? Because before I relied on anything I was told, I'd want to hear it from the man at the top.

Finally, have the people you are talking about ever had a residency stamp, then gone back to the UK. & then returned through Ercan without one?

Geoff1131MK11


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 396

Message Posted:
24/08/2010 11:48

Just got back from the Girne police station having started the process of residency renewal. After seeing the post yesterday about the over 60's not needing to renew, i asked the officer and he said you have to renew every time your last residency runs out. I dont think there was any confusion as to what i was asking as the guy spoke very good English. So i will continue to renew even though i am now in the over 60's club.

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
24/08/2010 11:58

Thanks for that Geoff. I assume you actually specified over 60 when asking the question.

The only thing I can think is that maybe, just maybe if you arrive in the TRNC & you are already over 60, there is no need, but I do think this is highly unlikely. Why would they turn down the opportunity to make money out of someone newly arrived?

I will make enquiries at Lefkosa, as well, just to confirm that this theory can be squashed once & for all.

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
24/08/2010 11:59

Thanks for that Geoff. I assume you actually specified over 60 when asking the question.

The only thing I can think is that maybe, just maybe if you arrive in the TRNC & you are already over 60, there is no need, but I do think this is highly unlikely. Why would they turn down the opportunity to make money out of someone newly arrived?

I will make enquiries at Lefkosa, as well, just to confirm that this theory can be squashed once & for all.

Geoff1131MK11


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 396

Message Posted:
24/08/2010 12:19

Hi scruff, yes i did make it clear that it was for the over 60's, as i turned 60 in June this year i thought if it was legal then that would be ' it ' for me. Unfortunately the immigration officer burst my bubble.

cyprusairsoft



Joined: 22/06/2009
Posts: 2066

Message Posted:
24/08/2010 13:38

listen up guys does it really matter that you have to get up early and line up for a bit in the police station

at the end of the day we are guests in another country and have to abide by the rules even if they change or seem to change every week. The who residency thing gets on my wick but we do it anyway.



I would like to see a five year stamp which i would be happy to pay for and look at the money it would generate for the economy.

no one who is expat will ever see permanant residency now that is finished.



red tape and triplicate are part and parcelof life here i dont like it much either but live with it

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
24/08/2010 13:53

msg 30

I'll ask you if you still feel like that in August when you are 70 yo?