According to the criteria set by the GHS law, EU citizens who
have their ordinary residence in the areas controlled by the Cyprus Government are
beneficiaries when the following conditions apply:
- Work
in the areas controlled by the Cyprus Government or
- Have
acquired the right of Permanent Residence (MEU3 permit) or
- Are
Family members (spouse, child) of a GHS Beneficiary
- Meet
the provisions of EU Regulation 883 (S1 holders)
To find out whether you are entitled to a Certificate/Card
of Permanent Residence - MEU3 you must contact the
Cyprus Migration Department**. Please bear in mind that the recommendation of the British High Commission is that all UK expats formalise their residency in Cyprus by applying for the MEU1, or, if they hold the MEU1, upgrade to the MEU3.
To find out if you are entitled to healthcare under the provisions
of EU Regulation 883 you must contact the responsible
authority in the member state where you are insured. For example, if you have
been working and paying social security contributions and were insured in the
UK and were entitled to receive healthcare services in the UK, you must
contact the UK authority that is responsible for social security benefits. The UK will provide a form S1 in duplicate per family member.
If UK expats fulfil the criteria, and are beneficiaries,
then they will be able to receive healthcare services from 1st June
2019. Please keep in mind that the GHS will be on-going and the HIO will notify
the public when the GHS Beneficiary Enrollment will commence.
Τhe
first phase of the GHS (starting on 1st June 2019) includes the
following healthcare services:
1. Personal Doctors for Adults and
Children
2.
Outpatient Specialists
3.
Pharmacies
4.
Laboratories
The
second and final phase of the GHS (starting on 1st June 2020)
includes the following healthcare services:
1. Inpatient healthcare services
2.
Accident and Emergency Departments, Ambulances
3.
Nurses, Midwifes and Allied Health Professionals
4.
Preventative Dental Care
Finally,
regarding the contributions, any natural person who receives a pension or
income from the Republic of Cyprus or abroad is obliged to declare it at the
Tax Department through self-assessment and therefore is obliged to pay a
contribution of 1,70% of their income for the 1st phase of the GHS
(01/03/2019) and 2,65% for the 2nd phase (01/03/2020).
Information is still awaited as to what the reciprocal arrangements for UK expats will be - this will depend on the outcome of Brexit. Payment by UK expats for the service is still to be clarified. The advice for the time being is to register, when this this opens, with the doctor of your choice.
Migration Department **
Link to information on Brexit as far as how this affects Immigration:http://moi.gov.cy/moi/CRMD/crmd.nsf/All/C482CD407E0903D8C225830E00384072
Link to information on Immigration permits for non-EU citizens: http://moi.gov.cy/moi/crmd/crmd.nsf/All/044601A0B7CE6062C2257D2C0037F93F?OpenDocument
Link to information on Immigration for EU citizens: http://moi.gov.cy/moi/crmd/crmd.nsf/All/B20E184509AB8C5DC2257D1F001EF6F2?OpenDocument
Link to information regarding residency for 'third world nationals' : http://moi.gov.cy/MOI/CRMD/crmd.nsf/All/D0B62F3A3B68AFA8C2257D2C0037B99D?OpenDocument
