How to obtain a residence permit in Cyprus in 2026

Foreign investors and expatriates are eager to obtain a permanent residence permit in Cyprus by purchasing real estate in a new building, which requires a minimum investment of 300,000 euros (plus VAT).

Visas

Cyprus has been an EU member since 2004 but is not yet part of the Schengen Area; no accession date has been approved. A Cypriot visa does not permit entry to the Schengen Area. Holders of a valid double- or multiple-entry Schengen visa, or a Schengen national visa or residence permit, may enter Cyprus for a short stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a separate Cypriot visa, subject to the applicable nationality restrictions.

Types of national visas in Cyprus:

• Airport Transit Visa (ATV).
• Short-term multiple entry visa ©, which allows one or more entries into Cyprus for a maximum of three months per semester. This visa can be issued for up to 3 years, and in exceptional cases, up to 5 years.

The visa fee is 80 euros for adults and 40 euros for children.

Visa applications must be submitted to the Consulate or Consular Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in your country.

How to Get a Residence Permit in Cyprus

Temporary Residence Permit in Cyprus for Investments

Non-EU citizens can apply for a Temporary Residence Permit in Cyprus, commonly referred to as a «Pink Slip». This permit comes in three categories: visitor, work, and student. The Pink Slip allows the holder to reside in Cyprus for up to one year, although it does not grant the right to work.

The criteria for obtaining a Pink Slip vary depending on the applicant’s nationality. However, the basic documents required include:

• completed application form MIP2;
• original and copy of the passport (including the first page and the page with the last entry stamp) and four photographs;
• title deed or lease agreement;
• bank statements from Cypriot and foreign banks (showing an annual income of 15 thousand euros per spouse, and at least 10 thousand euros per child);
• bank guarantee for 24 months from the date of application;
• health insurance;
• marriage or divorce certificate, and children’s birth certificates (translated into English, apostilled, or certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the issuing country and the Embassy of Cyprus in that country).

Upon issuance of the Pink Slip, the applicant also receives an Alien Book, or ARC (Alien Registration Certificate), which serves as an identity card in Cyprus.

Cyprus Work Permit Residency

To work in the Republic of Cyprus, third-country citizens must obtain an entry permit, regardless of their occupation or employer.

Athletes, coaches, clergy, and tourist representatives can enter with a visa.

Upon arrival in the Republic, you must register as a foreigner and obtain a temporary residence and work permit. Applications and fee payments are processed at the Department of Civil Registration and Migration in Nicosia.

Required Documents

To apply for a temporary residence and work permit in Cyprus, third-country nationals must provide the following documents:

• completed MGEN2 application form;
• copy of a valid passport;
• original medical blood tests confirming the absence of Hepatitis B and C, HIV, syphilis, and tuberculosis (tests must be conducted within four months prior to application);
• original certificate of no criminal record from the country of origin (if the applicant resides in another country, the certificate must be from the country of residence), issued within six months prior to application;
• permit from the Cyprus Department of Labour confirming the employer’s right to employ third-country nationals;
• copy of the employer’s identity card if the employer is a natural person;
• original employment contract with three copies;
• employer’s declaration to cover the departure expenses of the third-country national.

Fees and Charges

• issuance of entry permit and temporary residence and work permit for 1 to 3 years: 120 euros;
• issuance or extension of a residence and work permit for 1 to 3 years: 130 euros;
• registration in the Register of Foreigners (first registration only): 70 euros.

Permanent Residence Permit in Cyprus

Cyprus offers three types of residence permits:

1. EU Long-Term Residence Permit (LTRP). Under Directive 2003/109/EC, this status generally requires five years of continuous legal residence in Cyprus. It can make moving to another EU country easier, but a long-stay visa or residence permit from that country is generally required for residence there beyond 90 days. 
2. Permanent Residence. Granted under Directive 2004/38/EC, this status is exclusively for EU citizens and their family members, also known as a Yellow Slip. The primary requirement is five years of legal residence in Cyprus.
3. Immigration Permit (Category F). This permit is for immigrants from outside the EU. Let’s take a closer look at this type of residence permit.

Applications under the accelerated investor route are normally examined in about two months. The right of permanent residence is indefinite, although the residence card must be replaced every 10 years. The immigration authorization extends to the applicant, their spouse, and children under 18. Children between 18 and 25, who are unmarried and dependent on the applicant, may also apply if they are studying at a foreign university for at least another six months from the application date.

In such cases, the parents must provide proof of an additional income of 10,000 euros per year for each dependent child. Note that this authorization will expire when the child reaches 25 years old.

Required Documents

To obtain a permanent residence permit in Cyprus, the following documents must be submitted:

• completed application form (form M.67);
• certificate of ownership of new real estate worth at least 300 thousand euros, registered with the Department of Cadastral Registry;
• proof of stable income from abroad (at least 50 thousand euros per year for the applicant, at least 15 thousand euros for the spouse, and at least 10 thousand euros for each dependent child);
• evidence that funds for the qualifying €300,000 investment were transferred to Cyprus from abroad and paid to the seller through a Cypriot financial institution;
• medical insurance;
• certificate of no criminal record (issued by the country of residence and accompanied by an official certified translation);
• declaration that the applicant has no intention to engage in employment in Cyprus (the applicant and/or spouse may be shareholders in a Cypriot company and receive dividend income from it);
• marriage certificate and children’s birth certificates (with official certified translations).

Income sources can include wages, dividends, interest from deposits, rent, etc., received from abroad.

All documents attached to the application must be translated into Greek or English and appropriately certified. Applications should be submitted directly to the Cyprus Civil Registry and Migration Department, either in person or through a duly authorised representative. A fee of 500 euros is charged upon submission.

Applications under the accelerated investor route are normally examined in about two months. Permanent residence can be lost after a continuous absence from Cyprus of two years; the residence card must be replaced every 10 years.

How to Get Cyprus Citizenship

Between 2013 and 2020, Cyprus offered a citizenship-by-investment program, granting citizenship in exchange for investments of at least 2 million euros for a period of five years. However, this program was discontinued by the Cypriot government on November 1, 2020.

Currently, there are several ways to obtaining Cypriot citizenship:

• Naturalisation. The general route requires 12 months of continuous residence immediately before applying and at least seven years of lawful residence in the previous 10 years.
• Marriage. Foreign nationals married to Cypriot citizens for at least three years can apply for citizenship, provided they have lived in Cyprus for at least two years during this time. If the Cypriot spouse resides abroad, the applicant must have been married for at least three years and provide a written explanation of their desire to obtain Cypriot citizenship, or have been married for at least five years and have a child together.
• Ethnic Origin. Applicants over 18 years of age, born after August 16, 1960, outside the Republic of Cyprus, can obtain citizenship if at least one parent was a Cypriot citizen at the time of the applicant’s birth. This also applies to applicants born after June 11, 1999, whose mother was a Cypriot citizen at their birth.
• Birth. Individuals born to Cypriot citizens from August 16, 1960, onwards are automatically granted Cypriot citizenship. Those born abroad between August 16, 1960, and December 31, 1999, with a Cypriot mother, can acquire citizenship upon reaching the age of 21.

Cyprus laws permit dual citizenship.