Make sure all the necessary paperwork is completed for immigration and the importation of your personal possessions well in advance of your move to Cyprus. Check any restrictions on importing goods both into the Republic of Cyprus and, if necessary, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), as they may differ. Choose a reliable, experienced removals firm to help you move your possessions.
Importing furniture, pets and plants
You’ll need to co-ordinate the arrival of yourself, your pets and your belongings so that everything is there when you need it.
Import permits
EU citizens entering the Republic of Cyprus only require their passport or national identity card with a photograph. If you are a non-EU citizen you may require a visa and, if applicable, a work permit. Check with the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus.
Note that you may be refused entry to the Republic of Cyprus if any of the following apply:
- you hold a passport issued by the TRNC
- you have a 'TRNC' entry stamp in your passport
- you have entered via any port or airport in the TRNC
- you hold a passport from the former Republic of Yugoslavia which bears the stamp
'Macedonia'.
EU regulations do not apply in the TRNC, but you're still free to enter the country for up to three months if you're an EU citizen. Passports from most other countries are recognised at the entry ports into the TRNC, but you may have difficulty if you have a Greek Cypriot, a Greek or an Armenian passport.
Import duty and allowances
Customs clearance isn’t necessary if you’re shipping your personal belongings and household effects between EU countries. Now that the Republic of Cyprus is an EU member, EU nationals who plan to take up temporary or permanent residence there are free to import all their furniture, possessions and their private vehicles, tax free. You must be able to prove that they were purchased and the tax paid within the EU and they have been in your possession for at least six months. You should also show proof of your intention to settle permanently in Cyprus and a detailed inventory of items you are importing. Your removal firms can arrange this for you.
Non-EU nationals planning to take up permanent residence in the Republic of Cyprus are also permitted to import their personal effects duty free, provided they’ve owned them for at least six months.
As the TRNC is not a member of the EU, importing your personal belongings is a little more complicated. Employ a reputable removals company that is used to import procedures in the TRNC. They should deal with all of the necessary procedures.
Briefly, you require passport identification and around ten stamps (ordinary 1 New Turkish Lira postage stamps) and proof of previous visits to the TRNC. You should also provide an inventory of your belongings, translated into Turkish. You may be asked a few questions about the contents but will usually be allowed to import personal belongings tax free.
In the Republic of Cyprus, the following duty-free allowances apply on both outward and return journeys. They are subject to change and should always be checked:
Within the EU
- 800 cigarettes
- 400 cigarillos
- 20 cigars
- 1kg smoking tobacco
- 90 litres wine (of which no more than 60 should be sparkling)
- 10 litres spirits
- 20 litres fortified wine
- 110 litres beer
Outside the EU
- One litre of spirits (over 22 degrees proof) or two litres of fortified wine, sparkling wine or other liqueurs (under 22 degrees proof)
- Two litres of still table wine
- 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
- 50g of perfume
- 250 ml of toilet water
- Other goods, including gifts and souvenirs to the value of CY£175 (CY£90 for under 15s).
In the TRNC, you are allowed the following:
- 400 cigarettes or 500g of tobacco
- 150 cc of alcoholic drinks
- 150 cc of wine
- 100 cl of perfume
- other, non-commercial goods up to the value of around £45 Sterling.
Importing pets
The Republic of Cyprus
The Republic of Cyprus has been part of the PETS passport scheme since 2001. The new European Pet Passport (formerly the PETS certificate) allows pets to move freely between EU countries, without quarantine, provided they have met the requirements of the scheme. The scheme applies to dogs, cats and ferrets. Certain dangerous breed of dogs are not allowed to enter the country, regardless of their country of origin. They are: American Pit Bull Terrier or Pit Bull Terrier; Japanese Tosa or Tosa Inu; Dogo Argentino or Argentinian Mastiff; Fila Brasileiro or Brazilian Mastiff.
The PETS passport requirements are as follows:
Pets must be micro-chipped, vaccinated against rabies and have a blood test to check that they are sufficiently protected against the disease. Make sure you get this done as early as possible before departure. Even if everything is in order, there’s a wait of six months before your European Pet Passport can be issued and your pet can travel.
Additionally, 24-48 hours prior to your departure for Cyprus, your pet must be checked for any parasites by a government-authorised vet and a certificate issued. This certificate, along with the European Pet Passport, an export health certificate, copies of the rabies vaccination certificate and the blood test results, are all required to enter Cyprus. You should also be able to prove where your pet started its journey,that it’s a domestic pet and not intended for sale. Costs are around £200 Sterling (for a microchip, rabies vaccination and blood test), plus £60 Sterling a year for annual booster vaccinations and must be carried out by a government authorised vet, otherwise they are invalid. Only certain routes and carriers are licensed to carry animals and DEFRA (see below) has full details.
All the above procedures should ensure that you will be able to return to the UK , which has some of the strictest quarantine regulations in Europe. You can get more information from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), (Tel.: (+44) (0)20 7904 6000 or 020-7238 6951.
Once you arrive in the Republic of Cyprus, your dog must have a licence, which is obtainable at the cost of around CY£15 from your local authority.
The TRNC
Note: the TRNC is not part of the PET Passport Scheme and pets must enter quarantine on arrival in the TRNC (around four weeks) and when returning to the UK (six months).
If you wish to bring your pet to the TRNC it will still have to be quarantined despite the fact that you must make very similar provisions as you do to obtain a European Pet Passport.
Your pet must:
- have an Export Health Certificate issued by DEFRA and completed by a government-authorised vet in your home country
- be microchipped, have had a rabies vaccination and a blood test as above
- have certificates and paperwork to prove all the above have been carried out satisfactorily
- be examined 48 hours before departure to certify it fit to travel.
You also require an Import Licence from the TRNC veterinary authorities. You can obtain one of these by faxing the following information to the TRNC Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Veterinary Services (+90 392 225 3751):
- Rabies Vaccination Certificate and satisfactory blood test results
- full details of your pet, including name, breed, age, sex and colour
- your name and details, including a fax number for the certificate to be faxed back to you.
On arrival in the TRNC, your pet will be taken to the quarantine kennels in Nicosia (Lefkosa). You must provide all food and care for your pet during this period. Home quarantine is sometimes allowed in a specially designated area where the pet can be regularly inspected.
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Importing plants
The importation of plants is strictly controlled throughout Europe, including the Republic of Cyprus. Unless you have an import licence and a phytosanitary licence from the Department of Agriculture, you are forbidden to import agricultural products or propagating stock such as fruit, vegetables, cut flowers, nuts, seeds, bulbs and cuttings.
Although the TRNC is not part of the EU, importation of plants is also strictly controlled.
Whether you go to the Republic of Cyprus or the TRNC, the climate may be very different from your home country. It may be advisable to buy plants when you arrive that are more suited to the local climate.
Packing up
Plan your move well in advance. The more preparation you do, the more smoothly you should settle in. Between a year and six months is ideal, especially if you have children and pets going with you.
Contact a removals company as early as possible for initial advice on requirements. A removals firm can do everything for you, including packing, but most give you an option to pack some or all of your belongings yourself. Make sure you keep enough clothes and possession to last you for at least a week after arrival, in case of problems with your shipment.
Prepare all the documents you’ll require while travelling and during the early days in Cyprus. These include passports, birth and marriage certificates and health insurance documents. If you’re travelling with your pet, have all the paperwork to hand.
Moving abroad is a good time to give away or throw away any unnecessary items. Furniture from your home country may look out of place in your new home. A wide range of furniture and appliances is available in the Republic of Cyprus, so it may be a good idea to buy new items when you arrive. If you’re moving to the TRNC, household items and furniture are not as easily available and are usually more expensive.
Removal firms
Moving your belongings to Cyprus is a major task, so it’s best to use a reputable international removals firm, who are familiar with customs procedures in whichever part of Cyprus you are moving to. This is even more vital if you’re planning a move to the TRNC, which is outside the EU. Get recommendations from others who have made the move and try to make sure the company is part of an international removals network, such as:
International Federation of Furniture Removers
Overseas Moving Network International
British Association of Removers (BAR)
It’s advisable to take out comprehensive insurance for your belongings both during transit and for any necessary storage period. Cover your possessions for their full replacement value and don’t rely on insurance provided by removals firms.