Moving to Cyprus

Where to stay if you are moving before your home is completed

If you are moving to Cyprus before your property is due to be delivered, Pafilia can offer you long term rental accommodation at very reasonable rates in one of our Pafilia properties, starting from CYP 250 per month for a 1-bedroom apartment to CYP 500 per month for a 3-bedroom villa. Please ask your Pafilia property consultant if you are interested in this, or alternatively, contact Pafilia Services direct at rentals@pafilia.com.

Importing your personal belongings

EU citizens who transfer their normal residence to Cyprus can bring their personal property into the country without having to pay import duty, excise duty and VAT. The place where you reside for 185 days in a calendar year is considered your normal residence. Personal property includes items of a non-commercial nature, which are imported into the country for personal and household use. It should be mentioned that it is not necessary to hire the services of a customs agent when importing personal property into Cyprus. The transfer of such property to Cyprus with exemption from excise duties requires proof of the Community status of the items by the production of a T2L document.

Documents Required
� Passport (covering the two years prior to importation, otherwise the previous passport is required)
� Residence visa
� Inventory
� Exemption certificate
- For diplomats, certificate must be provided by the Embassy in Cyprus
- For offshore company expatriates, a C6 form must be supplied to customs for new items
� Evidence that you will stay in Cyprus for more than a year, i.e., rental agreement and residence permit

Custom regulations
� You must sign the customs declaration in the presence of the customs officer
� Household goods and personal effects may be imported duty free but are subject to other taxes provided the goods are:
- Intended for the personal use of the owner and his dependents, are not for re-sale, and the customer has resided less than a year in Cyprus
- In reasonable quantities

Dutiable/restricted items
� Foodstuff
� Electric and electronic items (CY�6.50 + VAT (at present 15%) per item.)
� Perfume
� Carpets
� Sports equipment
� Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products
� Plants (Import license and phytosanitary certificate required)

In the case of some items, such as tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, the quantities that may be imported from EU countries are restricted. The limits per EU citizen entering Cyprus are as follows: 400 cheroots (cigars with a unit weight not exceeding three grams), 200 cigars, one kilo of smoking tobacco, 20 litres of intermediate products, 90 litres of wine (of which no more than 60 litres may be sparkling wine) and 110 litres of beer. It must be emphasised that the transfer to Cyprus of certain items, such as narcotics, wireless telephones (walkie talkies etc), obscene publications, and certain types of firearm, is prohibited.

Useful contacts
Department of Customs and Excise: Tel: +357 22 601 657 | Tel: +357 22 601 658
Representation of Cyprus to the EU: Tel: +357 22 735 350

There are a number of companies specialising in the forwarding of goods to Cyprus from the UK offering very competitive rates at around �60.00 per cubic metre, excluding customs clearance, custom duties and dues. In addition, insurance can be provided for total loss at a premium of around 1% of the total value of the goods.

Buying New

Should you decide not to import your furniture from the UK, Pafilia Services can assist you in purchasing furniture ready for your property delivery. Our professional home furnishing team can help you create a design concept and working with this, will deliver your ideal interiors, making moving in an enjoyable and relaxing experience. Pafilia Services can help you with:
� Unpacking
� Setting up
� Cleaning
� Local sourcing, selecting, and delivering interior furnishings of your choice to your Pafilia home
� We deal with reliable suppliers providing a good selection of designs, prompt delivery and efficient client service
� We save you money - securing generous discounts incorporated in our furnishing package deals
� We eliminate Risky Purchases - We can recommend well-established and reliable companies
� Our professional interior designers can offer tips and advice on how to maximise the potential of your new home
� For inspiration you could pay a visit to our show homes, or book a free-of-charge interior design consultation

Bringing your pets to Cyprus

EU citizens wishing to transfer their normal residence to the Republic of Cyprus may bring their pets with them, however the following rules apply: The animal must not be intended for commercial purposes. The animal must be intended for companionship (and be a pet, such as a cat or dog).

Bringing your pets with you to Cyprus is a straightforward procedure. Once you have obtained a 'European pet passport' from your home country, there only remains the simple formality of obtaining a licence from the department of veterinary services in Pafos. This will be granted if your pet has the necessary vaccinations. To ease the transition, pets may be kept in "home quarantine" for a period of 6 months.

Your pet will need to have been vaccinated against the rabies virus, at the age of not less than 3 months, with an inactivated rabies strain according to OIE standards, at least 1 month and within 1 year prior to departure for arriving in Cyprus. A blood test needs to be taken 30 days after the vaccination to ensure that the correct amount of antibodies is present to ensure immunity in case of infection. Your pet must have undergone an anti-parasitical treatment 24-48 hours prior to departure to the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.

You will be required to produce documents verifying that the animal has arrived into the territory of the Republic of Cyprus from an EU member country, along with your pets vaccination cards. Owners are requested to inform the district veterinary officer in Cyprus (48 hours prior to arrival) of the date and hour of arrival, along with the flight number of the plane on which the animal is travelling in order to avoid delays in releasing animals.

The animal must arrive in Cyprus from an EU country and must be accompanied by its owner or by a person who is responsible for it at the time of the importation. Animals originating from an EU country that are accompanied by the relevant validated documents and that fulfil the provisions set out below can enter into the territory of the Republic of Cyprus without being subject to quarantine period or the need of an import permit.

Identification - The animal should:
� Have easily readable tattoo or
� Have an electronic microchip embedded in their body to verify the animal's identity.

The information that would facilitate the verification of the owners name, surname and address should also be attainable apart from the identity's verification. For a period of 8 years and until 1 October 2012, both methods of identification are accepted. After the end of this transition period, only the electronic chip method will be accepted as identification.

Provisions governing the entry of animals into Cyprus: The following breeds cannot be brought into Cyprus: Pit Bull Terrior (American Pit Bull), Japanese Tosa (Tosa Inu), Argentinian Mastiff (Dogo Argentino) Brazillian Mastiff (Fila Brasileiro). The entry of pet dogs, cats or ferrets under the age of 3 months is also disallowed, regardless of the country of origin.

For enquiries concerning the import of animals other than cats, dogs and ferrets, please contact the respective District Veterinary Office of the intended point of residence in Cyprus:

Paphos District Veterinary Office
Tel: + 357 26 306 269
email: dvs.paphos@vs.moa.gov.cy

Limassol District Veterinary Office
Tel: + 357 25 305 195
email: dvs.lemessos@vs.moa.gov.cy

Checklist - Things to do before your move

If you are moving permanently to Cyprus, there are always plenty of things to do and lots of people to inform of your move, including friends, family, your bank, accountant, insurance broker, utility suppliers, the post office, and last but not least, the UK Inland Revenue. To help you remember some of the things to do before moving to Cyprus, we have prepared the following checklist.

Begin consular proceedures
� Request information on how to obtain your visa, residency and work permits before you leave. These procedures take time, sometimes many weeks, so it is best to begin as soon as possible.
� Check the documents required for the export of your possessions from your home country and for their import to Cyprus. Your status may enable you to benefit from certain advantages, such as the obtaining of an "EXEMPTION". This will avoid you having to pay duties and taxes upon importing your personal effects.
� Consider renewing your passport and those of all accompanying family members if you will need to travel on it again shortly. Otherwise, UK citizens residing permanently in Cyprus can apply to the British High Commission in Nicosia for renewal of their British passports.
� You can drive on an EU driving licence in Cyprus, or you can convert it into a Cypriot licence for a small fee if you wish. Non-EU citizens seeking to drive in Cyprus will need to have an international driving licence. In all cases, keep your actual driving license with you. It may be requested by the local authorities in order for you to avoid having to pass another driving test.

Educating yourself about Cyprus
� Start informing yourself about Cyprus by researching the internet or by obtaining guides, brochures, videotapes and CD ROMs.
� Cyprus voltage capacity is 220-240v.
� Familiarise yourself with the currency in Cyprus. Some currency converters are available via the Internet.
� Assess your abilities in the host country language. Maybe you require some language tuition, although English is widely spoken in Cyprus.
� A cross-cultural program will be useful for you and your family. There are seminars available to prepare for international relocation, these are designed to help expatriates communicate and do business successfully.

For Pafilia homeowners
Pafilia can help you to select and purchase electrical appliances as well as have these delivered and installed in your home prior to your arrival. Pafilia Services can also provide you with a personal shopper to select furniture items you may wish to purchase in Cyprus, or simply give us your budget and style guidelines, and we will work to this so that furniture and fittings are delivered and prepared for your arrival.

For parents
Now is the time for you to search for a school for your children. Some international organisations gather international schools and give the accreditation of the curriculum and educational levels compared to schools in the county of origin.

Your health
� Take out an international health insurance to cover you and your family.
� Ask your GP, dentist, ophthalmologist and any other specialists to renew all your prescriptions so that you can continue your treatment abroad. Do not forget to ask for your medical files. All medication found in the UK is also available in Cyprus.

Moving your possessions
� Begin your list of all household goods and personal effects being moved. Contact at least two moving companies. Arrange for an appointment for a pre-move survey.
� A pre-move survey is the key a successful move. During this visit don't hesitate to ask about the period of time required for delivery, the means of transportation that should be used. Explanation of all the issues concerning packing and unpacking.
� If you have a pet, ask if they can transport it and be in charge of customs regulations (you are responsible for medical documents and vaccines).
� Compare quotes (price, services, volumes/weight estimate). Following these procedures, choose your mover and determine the date for packing operations.

Travel arrangements
� Make airline reservations. Be sure to keep your tickets after arrival, as these could eventually be requested at your destination for customs clearance purposes.
� Make a car rental reservation if necessary.
� Make plans to divert your post to your new address in Cyprus. If you prefer, you may open a post box at main Cypriot post offices for a fee of around CYP 20 per year and pick up your post from here.

Change of address
� Inform your local authority of your forthcoming departure. This is both relevant for the electoral register and to stop those council tax bills coming if you are no longer a resident.
� Inform the various organisations of your forthcoming change of address. Transfer your subscriptions or cancel your contracts.

Inform everyone of your new contact details
� Give your new contact details to your circle of family and friends. Make sure that the moving company have both your addresses; at origin and destination. Any intermediate contact numbers should also be transmitted (parents, hotel, etc.)
� Reconfirm your moving dates to your moving company. Make sure you have their addresses at origin and destination.
� Begin your "Valued Inventory List" of all household goods and personal effects being moved. Fill the inventory in while being as precise as possible. It can be helpful for customs to number all boxes to match your inventory list, to be able to quickly identify the contents of any container.

There... now you are now ready to make your move!

We hope that this information has been useful. Please contact Pafilia or your Pafilia representative if you would like more help with moving to Cyprus.