Since 2020, more than 93 thousand foreign residents live in Cyprus annually.
Cyprus ranks 4th among EU countries in terms of the number of residence permits issued.
The country provides more than 15 types of residence permits: most often the status is obtained for employment, study and family reunification. Residence permit status must be renewed every year.
Including residence permit:
Reason for moving: How long to wait for a request to be approved?
- Obtaining education, research activities 1–3 months 140
- Cypriot family, including foreign spouse 4 months 140–150
- Resident’s family 9 months
- Digital Nomad «Cyprus Digital Nomad Visa» 5-7 weeks
- Investors 2 months
- EU citizens No consideration
- Employment 4 months
For a complete list of grounds for obtaining a residence permit, requirements for applicants and a description of the procedures for each of them, see the website of the Department of Civil Registration and Migration.
Types of residence permit in Cyprus
There are 2 types of residence permits in Cyprus.
A temporary residence permit is limited by its validity period—depending on the basis, it is issued for 1–3 years. The document looks like a plastic card containing a photograph and an electronic chip with the owner’s biometric data. To renew, you cannot leave the republic for more than 3 months in a row, and the conditions for acquiring a residence permit must be maintained.
A permanent residence permit (PR) provides unlimited time stay in the state, but there is a need to update the card every 5 years. You can obtain permanent residence in Cyprus by settling down – after 5 years of legal residence in the country. Additionally, you must speak Greek at level A2 or higher and have a stable source of income.
Investment
A foreigner who invests 300,000 EUR in one of the objects provided for by law has the right to immediately, bypassing a residence permit, obtain Cyprus permanent residence status and receive a biometric card for himself, his spouse and children. The document will need to be updated every 10 years. Minors are issued a residence permit valid until their 18th birthday.
Investment options for permanent residence:
- Purchasing residential real estate. It is necessary to purchase a house or apartment from a developer company or order construction. According to legal requirements, a foreigner must be the first owner of the property. A maximum of two houses or apartments can be purchased for the specified amount.
- Purchase of a commercial property. You will need to invest in business office space, warehouses, shops, hotels, or a combination of these real estate options.
- Equity investments. It is required to make a contribution to the authorized capital of a company that is registered and operating in the republic and employs at least 5 people. It is permissible to create a new company for the purpose of investing the specified amount.
- Investments in shares of a collective organization. You need to make a financial contribution to the shares of the Cyprus Investment Organization.
Requirements for an applicant for resident status
Those seeking to obtain a residence permit in Cyprus must meet the required conditions under one of the valid grounds for immigration. For example, buy real estate or get a job in the country.
In each case, foreigners must provide evidence that their move to the state will not create an additional burden on the social security system. The general requirement is to have a medical policy that covers repatriation services and is valid on the territory of the republic.
