EU and third-country citizens are facing problems in registering with the GHS due to incompatibility between processes of the Health Insurance Organisation (OAY) and the Civil Registry and Migration Department, Phileleftheros reported.
It said that dozens of people contacted the newspaper in the past days to report that they can’t register with the public health system.
Among them are employers who say that although their contribution for their employees is cut off from their income each month, their non-Cypriot employees are not registered with the system.
Some people born before 1960 and the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus also have issues registering, Phileleftheros writes, as their identities were issued by the colonial administration and the Civil Registry Department recognises them as British citizens.
The Health Insurance Organisation made public the following information in order to aid people to register with the GHS:
Instructions for EU citizens
- According to the Civil Registry and Migration Department, EU citizens who are working in Cyprus and have not updated their records at the Social Insurance Services (SIS) with their Alien Registration Certificate (ARC) number are asked to do so in order to be able to proceed with their GHS registration. It is important that they do not choose the category “S1 document holder” unless they are in possession of the portable S1 document, as this will delay their GHS registration process.
- EU citizens who started living in Cyprus before 2004 and do not have an Alien Registration Certificate, are asked to issue it and connect it with their Social Insurance Services file.
- EU citizens living in Cyprus for more than five years and have a permanent residence permit (MEU3) can register with the GHS using the details on their MEU3 file.
- EU citizens who receive a pension from the Social Insurance Services and also have a MEU3 can register with the GHS using the details written on those documents.
Instructions for EU and third country citizens who have a health insurance in another EU country
EU and third country citizens who are insured in another EU country and have an S1 document can:
- Register with the GHS by sending their application and S1 document via post to the Health Insurance Organisation (OAY), which will examine their request.
- Relatives of EU and third country citizens who are insured in another EU country and are not employed or have the MEU1 document should apply to register with the GHS online via the beneficiaries portal and wait to be informed about which documents they should send to OAY.
All persons who will be asked to submit further details should print their online application through the beneficiaries portal and include it in the letter sent to OAY. When their applications are approved they will receive an online notification that they can sign up with a doctor.
Instructions for third country citizens
- Persons who have an active residence and work permit should use the details written on their permits in order to sign up for the GHS.
- Persons whose permits have expired and the process of renewing them is ongoing, should know that OAY is making amendments in order to provide them access to the GHS before the conclusion of the permit renewal process.
- Persons who are in the process of registering with the Civil Registry and Migration Department to acquire a resident and work permit are asked to wait for further updates.
- Recognised political refugees and persons with subsidiary protection status can register with the GHS using the details on their residence permit.
OAY said that it is making efforts to make possible the registration of children born in Cyprus by non-Cypriot parents who do not have an identity number on their certificate.
For more queries and information contact OAY via phone at 17000 or email at [email protected].
The first part of the GHS is due to come into force on June 1.
Read more:
https://in-cyprus.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-ghs/
