Foreigners left out of GESY registration

Thousands of foreign nationals are unable to enroll in the General Healthcare System known as GESY set to be launched on Saturday, with reports pointing fingers at incompatible databases.

Dozens of foreign nationals, including European citizens, have contacted media outlets or left comments on social media, saying they have been unable to register during the GHS open enrollment period.

According to Philenews, even some Cypriot employers who cover health insurance for their employees, who are third-country nationals on a work visa, have been unable to register due to internal procedures at the Immigration department.

Immigration officials have hinted at the expiration dates on work visa documents that only run through six to eight months at a time, according to Philenews. It is understood that valid status for foreign workers eligible for health insurance cannot be imported into the Health Insurance Organization records through the existing immigration database, thus leaving out those whose dates are either expired or pending renewal extensions based on system data.

According to legislation, GHS beneficiaries are those who legally reside in the Republic of Cyprus and fall into one of the following categories:

• All Cypriot citizens irrespective of their age who reside in the Republic of Cyprus
• Citizens of the European Union who work or have a permanent residence permit
• Third-country nationals who have their residence in the areas controlled by the Republic of Cyprus and are entitled to equal treatment in the social security sector or have a permanent residence permit in accordance with the provisions of national law
• The dependent children of the above-mentioned beneficiaries
• Refugees and persons with subsidiary protection status who have their residence in areas controlled by the Republic and are recognized refugees or persons with subsidiary protection status under the Refugees Act