On repatriation you are allowed to import the following items:

• Clothing and other personal items and necessities
• Household goods and furniture
• Trade tools and apparatus
• For the importation of pets a licence is required from the Director of Veterinary Services.
• For the importation of various plants and agricultural goods an International Phytosanitary Certificate is required
• One normal size bottle (containing 1 litre) of spirits and 200 cigarettes per person can be imported duty free
• For the importation of gold in no worked or semi-worked form, the relevant declaration is made to Customs on arrival. This is followed by the securing of an import licence from the Central Bank, which also lays down the place of safekeeping. For the sale of gold a permit is required from the Central Bank.
• The import duty on jewellery is 9,5% (general duty) on the value plus 15% V.A.T.
• Personal jewellery in reasonable quantities is exempt from any duty
• The importation of an air gun (with barrel not exceeding 177 mm in diameter) and a non repeating hunting gun by repatriates is permitted without the payment of duty subject to the following conditions:
  1. License to possess gun and hunting license (C£5 and C£10 for air guns and C£10 and C£50 for firearms respectively for the first year and C£35 for subsequent years).
  2. Import permit from the Chief of Police C£3 for an air gun and C£15 for a firearm
  3. Registration of the gun with the Police of the district where the repatriate will have his permanent residence for a fee of C£10

Note: The importation by "visitors" of air guns and non-repeating hunting guns (one gun and one air gun with barrel not exceeding 177 mm) does not incur payment of duty if they are to be exported again.

Conditions for Importing Personal Goods

1. The imported items must be exclusively for the personal use of the repatriate or his dependants.
2. The importation must take place within a period of twelve months before or after the arrival in Cyprus of the repatriate. Under exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the Director of the Customs Department, exceptions can be made.
3. The imported item must have been in the possession of and have been used by the repatriate abroad for a period of time that is considered reasonable, usually one year.
4. Note: No exemption is granted for items brought from duty free stores in Cyprus or which are imported new from abroad.
5. Imported items must be recorded on customs forms EDE, IMP2, and 102 and items must be declared to the Customs Authorities on their importation.
6. The Customs Authorities during the normal check of imported items must be satisfied that their importation is not restricted or forbidden by any order referred to in the Laws of the Republic. Merchandise is also subject to a check after clearing by the competent officers of the Customs Department
7. No imported items may be sold without previous permission of Customs and Excise.

Repatriates wishing to bring their household good and motor vehicle to Cyprus must submit an application to the Relief Section of Customs Headquarters in Nicosia. Together with the forms needed the following documentation will be required:

The exemption of duty is granted to entitled persons after submission of the application in person to the Customs Headquarters in Nicosia

1. Passports of applicant and their family with photocopies of all used pages. If all passports are not available any official documents which can prove permanent residence abroad for 10 years prior to settlement
2. A list of the applicant's arrivals and departures in Cyprus for the 10 years period preceding repatriation. (In the case were it is impossible to submit all the passports, direct evidence is required for the periods where there is uncertainty, such as tax returns, payment of social insurance, medical certificates, family passports, certificates from children's schools abroad, receipts of wages, an other relevant official proof.) NB. It must be noted that this evidence must be certified and prove beyond any doubt the physical presence of the applicant during the minimum 10 year period of permanent residence abroad.
3. Applicants, who were minors at the beginning of the ten-year period under examination, must submit the passports of their parents or other relevant documentation. This evidence is required to establish that the minor was with his parents abroad until he came of age.
4. Certificate of nationality of the applicant's country of residence.
5. Marriage certificate were applicable
6. Certificate of rent or purchase of house and or/shop in Cyprus.
7. Documents showing the importation of household effects into Cyprus.
8. Details of any other duty free vehicles that the applicant or any member of the family may possess.
9. Evidence of the import of household effects into Cyprus e.g. bill of entry or bill of lading
10. Cypriot Drivers license
11. Certificates of schools, diplomas, university degrees or other proof of education.
12. Receipts of payment of Income Tax in relation to the income earned by the applicant each year for the ten-year period prior to resettlement.
13. Entry stamp of country of settlement for stay there without time limitations. (For South Africa: Entry visa on which appears the issue of a "residence permit" at least 10 years prior to resettlement)
14. Telephone and Electricity Bills (proving that you are living in Cyprus permanently)
15. Confirmation that children have been enrolled in School
16. Certificate of employment in Cyprus.

NB. In order to save time, it is wise to submit as much of the above documentation as possible with your application.