Renewing Residency using Driving School

mrsgee


Joined: 23/06/2009
Posts: 396

Message Posted:
14/01/2010 17:27

Well, having read the recent threads on renewing residency, went along to driving school by police station to check it out. Thought that 60 TL to take away the hassle, particularly as we are out of TRNC when the renewal process should start, was a bargain.



What a shock then to be told the cost is £70 per person for them to do it........you still have to make the application yourself at the police station, so all they do is pick it up from Lefkosa - needless to say won't be using their services and am prepared to while away several hours in Lefkosa - with a book. The girl very kindly wrote down everything that was required, otherwise I might have thought I had misheard the cost. Perhaps they have realised that they are onto a good little earner - 60 lira, forget it.

CarrieRBag



Joined: 23/12/2008
Posts: 1374

Message Posted:
14/01/2010 17:35

They wanted to charge us £50 per person and there are 3 of us so we did it ourselves. They did it last year for £50 for all three but that was because my son was undergoing driving tuition with them and he had to have his residency before he could get his driving licence. It is really a big rip off and having just renewed our residency... get there at 0700 and you could be away by 1000.

smithy


Joined: 17/07/2008
Posts: 5301

Message Posted:
14/01/2010 17:49

I have just renewed mine and my friend did also and they only charged us 60tl you sure it was the first driving school you went into off the main road and not the one next to the police station where I went into by mistake, you always have to do the first part at Girne police station then they do the last bit and chase it up, never heard of them charging anymore than 60tl

mrsgee


Joined: 23/06/2009
Posts: 396

Message Posted:
14/01/2010 18:01

Hi Smithy, it was the one just as you turn in off the main road, there was a young lady in there with long fair hair, spoke very good English. I think that is the only driving school there - are you saying that there is another driving school next to it? If so, perhaps we did go into the wrong one, but I didn't see another.

Maz


Joined: 29/03/2009
Posts: 1924

Message Posted:
14/01/2010 19:41

Seems to me that someone is taking advantage of the difficulties and challenges of others. Can't be right, can it?

Maybe if there are enough people, one could go for all the others, and then if they are not read, another one can go and so on - or make it an outing to Nicosia.

Having played this game for six years, I shall do the same as I always do.

Today I filed my papers and the lovely people in the police station (we had a good laugh together) told me to go to Nicosia in two weeks. I won't bother, cos I know they are on overload. There are so many more applications than last year, and of course, no extra staff.

Don't let anyone rip anybody off - that is taking unfair advantage and wrong.

Of course, if you are prepared to spend your own money if you feel it is worth it, but that is your choice. But rip offs are downright criminal.

mrsgee


Joined: 23/06/2009
Posts: 396

Message Posted:
14/01/2010 21:57

Hi Marion, couldn't agree more - a total rip off and I suspect taking advantage of Brits experiencing difficulties....needless to say, we will not be handing them £140......and will join the queue. Our only concern really was the timing which co-incides with us being out of TRNC, just when the 2 week 'window' occurs. We get back here 14 days before the residency runs out, but that is a Saturday, so the earliest we can go to police station is 12 days before on the Monday........which is of course outside of the said 'window'. It is just so annoying when you are trying to do the right thing........but hey ho, we will see what happens.

Maz


Joined: 29/03/2009
Posts: 1924

Message Posted:
14/01/2010 22:23

Don't worry too much MrsGee. I find the police at Kyrenia really nice and helpful (if you are nice and helpful to themk, maybe). If it is true at the moment that the process is taking longer than 2 weeks, your visa will be out of date.

I found last year when I had to go over the border and my visa was out of date, Ijust smiled at the bloke and said 'bir yeni gelior' (my limited Turkish! - a new one is coming), and he smiled and stamped me for 90 days.

Personally I think if you appreciate the difficult task the authorities have (because of where this is) they are helpful and understanding.

The man today said I could go in on Monday, which as mine is due on the 28th, would leave me well short of 14 days, so, I am sure all will be well. Keep your money for b uying coffee while taking a break from the Immigration Department when your time is due! And if I am there, I will buy you one anyway!!!

Jeannie


Joined: 04/08/2009
Posts: 3283

Message Posted:
15/01/2010 02:22

Well, having read the posts here, it does seem to me, yet again, that the old TRNC mentality is coming into play, i.e. something is successful (like the girls from the driving school sorting out your residency bits and pieces for a modest sum (on both parts) and, ergo, put up the prices? Why, oh why, do they not get it that by putting up the prices (by a lot) people will stop using their service?

It's rather (in a opposite sort of way) that when a restaurant/bar is doing no business, they put up their prices. When asked why, the stock reply seems to be "we have no customers, so we have to put up our prices".



There are none so blind as those who will not see

cyprusishome


Joined: 31/03/2007
Posts: 2381

Message Posted:
15/01/2010 07:17

Getting someone else to do this simple task has always been a rip off.



As marieB says, a simple smile and a kind word or two not only works wonders at the police station but anywhere.



Even after 4 years I can still not believe the ignorance of British people who will not do simple please and thank you to people in "service sector" then wonder why they get poor service.



Have stated everytime this thread comes up, do as we did first time around ask someone to go with you and show you the ropes, after that it is simple and for us we feel it helps you belong in the community.

CarrieRBag



Joined: 23/12/2008
Posts: 1374

Message Posted:
15/01/2010 08:04

Our residency ran out on 18 Dec and we renewed 4 Jan so do not worry too much that it is out of date. We also went South side and were stamped for 30 days then when we went again, 2 weeks later, they stamped for 15 days. We now are "legal" again so no problems. We found the police in Girne very helpful too and cheerful considering its a pretty mundane job for them. Seems to me that once you have your first residency you should just be able to go to Lefkosia with your passport and they stamp it but hey, that is way too simple. I wouldn't even mind paying as we do now so long as they made it easier and less of a pain.

nurseawful



Joined: 06/02/2009
Posts: 5934

Message Posted:
15/01/2010 08:06

CarrieRBag,



The thing that gets me is that they have to have a copy of our contract every year, one for me and one for hubby. That's now 10 copies they have WHY, what is the sense in that?



Chris

mrsgee


Joined: 23/06/2009
Posts: 396

Message Posted:
15/01/2010 09:11

Hi Nurseawful as you mention the contract perhaps you could help me on another aspect. The girl at the driving school also said that we needed to make sure we had paid our property tax. I explained to her that we only have our contract as yet, not PTP nor Kocan, so I was under the impression (having owned a property before) that the tax did not have to be paid yet........but she said unless the contract was stamped with something we would have to pay. So, she said we should check.......so now I am confused. Don't mind going to check, but thought I would ask you as you have contracts not kocan.



Cyprusishome - message 9 - yes, I agree with all you say, and am taking a Turkish Cypriot friend along with me this morning to get information straight from the horses mouth - the police. I agree being pleasant goes a long way, and I am always ready with a smile and a Merhaba or Gunaydin.

scruff


Joined: 15/07/2008
Posts: 1070

Message Posted:
15/01/2010 10:20

They were talking about the stamp duty tax that anyone without a kocan had to pay 2 years ago. This was due from January 2008, for old contracts. At the time there was a discount & the charge was 0.50% on the contract price. The normal rate is 1.50% on all new contracts. Hope this is enough information. If not please post again.

For Residency renewal, you must provide a copy of the contract that has the Tax Office receipt shown on it for this stamp duty tax. I also think you must have done this, because you would have required the same receipted contract for last year's residency renewal.

mrsgee


Joined: 23/06/2009
Posts: 396

Message Posted:
15/01/2010 18:26

Thanks very much for the reply scruff. I think that is the one..........and yes we did pay it, and the contract is stamped. We used the same contract last year, so, as you say we should be ok. Many thanks for explaining that.

Maz


Joined: 29/03/2009
Posts: 1924

Message Posted:
15/01/2010 23:41

Mrs McGee is right, and hope you are now fully understanding. All this hassle takes some of the joy out of the sunshine. However,l they are interesting little challenges which mean that once passed through and overcome, we can be a mine of helpful information to others who come here and don't know how to jump the hurdles, nor indeed where the hurdles are situated.



The other thing I can't understand is why I have to get a form from the same Muhtar coveringv the same address with the same people (us) living in there. The Immigration now has several of these on their records. But it gives the Muhtar something to do, and increases sales of stamps from the Post Office!