Filenews 19 April 2021 - by Vasos Vassiliou
A total of 38,000 Britons are legally resident in Cyprus after Britain leaves the EU, according to figures cited by interior minister Nikos Nouris, in response to a question from ACPL MP Irene Charalambidou.
Mr. Nouris states in his reply that according to the January 2021 statistics, the citizens of the United Kingdom who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement and reside in the Republic of Cyprus holding residence permits under the previous status, as European citizens, are a total of 38,080. The figure includes those Britons who obtained licences issued before 31/12/20. Mr. Nouris notes that 26,978 of them hold a Certificate of Registration and 11,102 a Certificate of Permanent Residence.
The Minister of the Interior in his reply to Mrs Charalambidou also mentions the following:
-Under the Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, United Kingdom nationals and members of their families who exercised their right to freedom of movement before the end of the transitional period, i.e. before 31/12/20, they retain the same rights under Directive 2004/38/EC of the free movement of European citizens, whether they are in possession of residence permits, as European citizens, or have evidence that they entered and exercised their right to free movement before the end of the transitional period and can obtain the new Residence Documents for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement.
-United Kingdom nationals and members of their families who are already beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement shall have the right under N193(I)/2020 to secure the new residence documents as Beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement if they submit the corresponding applications.'
-According to Article 18(4) of the Withdrawal Agreement, there is no obligation on UK nationals to change their residence permits held as European citizens with the new residence documents of beneficiaries. Despite the fact that the residence permits of UK nationals, as European citizens, lose their legal validity after the end of the transitional period, these permits can nevertheless be used, as evidence of the right of residence of the beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement, in the Republic of Cyprus. [This is confirmation that there is no obligation to change existing MEU paperwork for biometric residency permits.]
