You have received your assignment order or posting notice, you may also be bringing family members with you and want to gain as much information about Cyprus prior to your arrival!
This information portal has been created to aid you in your journey from now to your arrival in British Forces Cyprus and beyond.
Cyprus – Where is it?
Located in the Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus is just under 5 hours flying time from the UK. It’s the furthest south you can travel in Europe, and almost the most easterly as well! Due to its location the average temperature throughout the year is significantly higher than the UK, with daily temperatures exceeding 40°C in the summer months. The link below will contain many answers to questions you may have about the environment, culture, climate and facilities on the island.
Cyprus – How do I get there?
The official route to Cyprus from the UK for personnel moving to British Forces Cyprus is via the “Trooper” from RAF Brize Norton to RAF Akrotiri. This is a military chartered flight that flies twice a week and duty flights (Arrival/departure at the beginning and end of tour) do not attract a cost to the individual or family. Alternatively, Service Personnel wishing to transport their vehicle can travel by road/sea to and from the UK on assignment, utilising the Overseas Private Vehicle Provision allowance. For further information, see the document below.
Pre-Deployment Training
Service Personnel and United Kingdom Based Civilians (UKBC) are required to complete pre-requisite training prior to arrival in Cyprus, these can be accessed through the Defence Learning Environment (DLE).
Movement & Storage of Personal Effects
Movement of Personal Effects is carried out via Agility Logistics, the MOD’s contracted Service Provider. The website linked below contains the majority of information within the Help section at the top, the only information not included (without registration) is the allowances in terms of volume and weight which can be found on MODNet.
Arranging Accommodation
British Forces Cyprus is made up of several locations, where you live can be very important, and to that effect there are a large number of options available to personnel across the entirety of BFC. The process for arranging accommodation will differ between unaccompanied personnel who are to occupy Single Living Accommodation (SLA) and those who are bringing families with them and occupying Service Family Accommodation (SFA): For SLA personnel will need to contact individual unit accommodation cells or Messes, details of which can be found on the attached document below. For SFA this is organised through the Housing and Community Support Office (HCSO) for each unit. This information again can be found below.
Family Status in Cyprus
All members of the family unit (Parents, Children) must hold a valid passport. For Service Personnel details of these must be submitted to The Families Section, part of Defence Support via UKStratCom-DefSp-DSCOM-FamSec@mod.gov.uk. For UKBC’s these should be submitted to Defence Business Services (DBS) Relocations Team. A temporary Status letter will be issued after all medical, educational and social clearances have been authorised. This lasts for 30 days only and will allow the family to enter Cyprus. Upon arrival in Cyprus you must apply for a Status Card as this affords individuals and family members the right to reside in the SBA, as well as affording access to the military trooping aircraft with other additional benefits. The application form can be found at the link below along with other information about Customs and Immigration regarding the SBA.
Importation of Pets
Pets are just as much a part of a family as the people, to be able to bring them along you will need to follow the steps detailed in the linked guide on GOV UK, with all the pages before “Travelling to a Non-EU country” being relevant to Cyprus as an EU member country. This will include the pet being microchipped, up-to-date vaccinations at least 21 days before arrival, an Animal Health Certificate from your vet and in the case of dogs, Tapeworm treatment no sooner than 5 days before arrival.
Leaving UK Employment for Family Members
Employment opportunities do exist within the SBA, both on and off-base. It is possible for self-employed persons to continue their business within the SBAs, but this is dependent on a Business Licence being issued by the SBAA Fiscal Office. More information on available positions and Business Licences can be found at the links below.
Cancelling UK Contracts
It is advisable to cancel most contracts you may hold prior to moving to Cyprus, in some cases the company (i.e. TV/Internet/Utility Providers) will not add a cancellation charge as they may operate exceptions for UK Armed Forces, Civil Servants and their families however this is not to be expected: plan for additional charges or return of devices on early termination. Mobile phone contracts may allow you to continue using your UK package in Europe or further afield, check with your provider first regarding Roaming charges. Also note that many companies are signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant, this provides additional weight to customers who have to make changes to contracts etc. due to military circumstances. The list of all the companies which have signed the Armed Forces Covenant can be found at the link below.