Customs and Immigration
The Fiscal Officer, as head of SBA Customs and Immigration, has responsibility for a wide range of tasks that extend beyond those normally associated with a customs and immigration service. These include matters relating to external border control, direct and indirect taxation, and more diverse subjects such as registrar of births and deaths.
Main responsibilities:
- Customs, including imports and exports
- Immigration, including asylum matters
- VAT, Income Tax and Social Insurance
- Duty and Tax-Free schemes for Vehicles and Goods
- Rationed Goods Scheme and issue of Ration Cards
- Control of clubs and messes in relation to Duty-Free goods
- Fisheries, ports and fishing shelters
- Sea bathing areas
- Notifying mariners of firing ranges’ exclusion times
- Business licencing
SBA Customs and Immigration has approximately 50 personnel; comprising locally-recruited staff and a small number of UK Customs and Immigration Officers (on loan from HM Revenue and Customs and Border Force).
Fiscal Office - Episkopi
The Fiscal Office is primarily involved in policy and management matters. In doing so it has well- established links within the Administration, HQ British Forces Cyprus and with relevant departments in the Republic of Cyprus government.
SBA Customs and Immigration - Akrotiri
The principal activity of SBA Customs and Immigration Akrotiri is the control of flights to and from the UK and third countries at RAF Akrotiri. Additionally, as the Sovereign Base Areas have a coastline and associated territorial waters, we have a number of marine-related responsibilities to administer including enforcement of fisheries and sea bathing areas legislation.
SBA Customs and Immigration - Dhekelia
The majority of SBA Customs and Immigration officers are based in the Eastern Sovereign Base Area and control the two land boundary crossing points between the SBA and the Turkish-controlled area of northern Cyprus. These crossing points are manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to control the movement of both persons and goods in accordance with EU regulations.
Fiscal Office Contact Numbers
Episkopi 2596 3342
Akrotiri 2527 6762
Dhekelia 2474 4078
Ay Nik 2474 4226