Íæż½ã½ã

Yes this correct, from august 2026 I tiink

@Dee56

We also tried to change the dog eared yellow slip, but they said no, they won't do it.

.

You apply to exchange to biometric card..we did ours  last October ... As systems are being upgraded to be inline with all other EU members states and to give a better service via e-portals for citizens

Not having it might be problematic for entry and exit through ports.

I was on the permanent resident yellow slip which had no expiry date. Through immigration Paphos I am now in possession of the plastic I. D.

It's not difficult just a bit long winded. Total cost 30 Euro.

@Drambuie

As mentioned on another thread I believe that,unlike the yellow paper, the new card will only be valid 5 years for non EU folk, but since we had yellow papers prior to BREXIT one would hope that renewal will be automatic.

We have just done the procedure assuming that it will be mandatory next year and because one of us has a yellow paper that time expires next year anyway (a non EU family member, back when we were EU)

@Drambuie
As mentioned on another thread I believe that,unlike the yellow paper, the new card will only be valid 5 years for non EU folk, but since we had yellow papers prior to BREXIT one would hope that renewal will be automatic.
We have just done the procedure assuming that it will be mandatory next year and because one of us has a yellow paper that time expires next year anyway (a non EU family member, back when we were EU) - @pete21

As far as I am aware no other EU country has automatically renewals, so keep an eye on the date and don't leave it to the last minute.

@SimCityAT

So basically the yellow paper was more 'valuable'.  Anyway, if it has to be changed then sobeit.

Our biometric cardS MUKW3 are Valid for 10 years .. very much doubt they will be automatic   I also doubt they will miss an opportunity to.make some more money at renewal

I find many things in Cyprus are straightforward but unfortunately it's sometimes the staff attitude that could be improved. Particularly in secure Government jobs.

I'm not recommending anyone does as I do. However I can't abide rudeness and always behave in a polite manner. Unless I encounter rude staff.

@Drambuie

I totally agree , some of the staff do seem to need a retraining course in customer service 

I have decided recently to remind two individuals that their job would not exist without us "customers" Wasted my time probably.

I will admit though that another individual who's known for rudeness received my sincere apologies once. When I realised I had given incorrect info.

Since then he couldn't be nicer. I smile when I recall he continues to refer to me as a gentleman.

Maybe they encounter rude Íæż½ã½ãs, who knows.

@Drambuie
I totally agree , some of the staff do seem to need a retraining course in customer service - @Toon

"Re"Training? 😈

@shotokan101

Maybe a training course as they may not have been trained in the first place ..who you know rather than what you know or been trained for .  You know government jobs for the lucky or or ones with the right contacts....

I tend to just smile a lot and hope they don't mistake it for wind ..and remain polite with the odd greek word thrown in....

Hmmmmm. I did hear a rumour that you suffered from wind TOON.

I ignored it as probably just "hot air" 😃

Rapeze is my go to solution although it's actually a tablet

@Toon

They are either more than helpful or just a pain but that's how it is. I work on the principle that if I react or complain there is no chance of a change. Therefore just grin and bear it

Gents, will say this after reading all these messages. Phapos is a differnet country for me. Us oldies like Toon and me seem to know how to get things done though we are in differnet "parts of the world". I unfortunatly have to travel a lot as i am still working part time. The card gets me through EU immigration in seconds so I am not going to complain.

All I seem to see is complaints and more complaints. This is Cyprus, learn to speak the language, smile and you will be suprised that the help one gets.

Yes, the Biometric cards will be mandatory after a certain period-- WHEN !!!!!!-- keep the "yellow slip" in your safe.

Though I read all the messages, i have refrained from comments  as most of the are petty.

For any that wish to know have been here 9 years, so please dont test mine and that of Toon's knowledge.

I apologise in advance if i have offended anyone but it is time someone "put their foot down"

Let us please stop this thread on the Biometrics, go get it done and close this matter.

@Toon

Geordie boy give me a call. Have misplaced your number.

Agree 100% we use the biometric card regularly at airports and had no problem until recently at larnaca - we just walked past the photo scanning machines upto the counter and are told we had to get a print from the machine - which was odd as having flown out of Larnaca 17 times to various destinations since having the card we never had too before - will test the system again towards the end of July

We travelled recently and handed over our UK passports and the Cyprus biometric residency permit cards

On going through passport control at Paphos. The scanning machines didn't accept the passports and were directed to the control desk where All was good no stamp on passports

On entry to a greek island did the same there and both passports and cards were queried and puzzled officials eventually passed both and passports stamped IN.....

On leaving the greek island we decided to only hand over our passports , stamped OUT and straight through...

On re-entry to Cyprus the passports and biometric residency permit cards were handed over accepted and not stamped.

No biggy really

Agree but saved a bit of time queuing for the scanning machines which seem to the main cause of delay due to people’s unfamiliarity with them - I had to help a lady recently navigate the screens which she could not understand due to the fact she had inadvertently pressed German at the start rather than English 😂😂

@telf

Not sure why our passports were rejected at the scanners ..one was the new UK black passport and the other the Burgundy EU one altho still a British Passport