Cyprus residency by investment
Residence by investment in Cyprus grants permanent residence rights to third-country nationals, provided they meet income and investment requirements.
In 2024, to obtain Cyprus permanent residency through investment, one must invest at least € 300,000 in property, shares, or alternative investment funds and have a guaranteed annual income of at least € 50,000, with additional income requirements for family members.
Cyprus property investment for getting a permanent residence permit
Cyprus offers a permanent residence program for investors who buy residential or commercial property worth at least € 300,000 (plus VAT) and have a guaranteed annual income from abroad of at least € 50,000.
Additional income requirements apply for family members: € 15,000 for the spouse and € 10,000 for each dependent child.
Successful applicants and their families gain Cyprus Immigration permits and residence in a country boasting natural beauty, excellent weather, a stable economy, and family life and socialisation opportunities.
Application procedure
The application form (MIP1) and relevant documents must be submitted to the Civil Registry and Migration Department (CRMD). You must do this in person or via your authorised representative (for example, a local immigration lawyer).
In such a case, you will need a letter authorising the representative to act on your behalf (the lawyer can easily do this for you).
The fee payable to the CRMD is € 500 and € 70 for each person included in the application. The € 70 fee is for issuing the Aliens’ Registration Certificate (ARC) if it does not exist.
Recently, the government updated the procedure for getting permanent residence by investment (Category 6.2). Applications are now handled fast-track so that a decision can be made within two months.
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Preliminary due diligence
Due diligence is carried out in permanent residence by investment applications.
The successful applicant must bring documentation to prove the following:
- A clean criminal record for themselves, their spouse from their country of residence and their country of origin, if different.
- Health insurance.
- Confirmation from themselves and their spouse that they will not work in the Republic.
- Title deed or sales contract for the property. The applicant must also file the contract with the Department of Lands and Surveys (DLS).
- If the investment property is commercial, you should show that you have adequate accommodation for yourself and your family in the Republic.
- The search certificate from the DLS for the property (required under new legislation on land sales).
- Marriage certificate and birth certificate(s) of children, if applicable.
- Affidavit or official confirmation of the applicant’s yearly income, such as a tax return declaration from their country of tax residency. The source of income could be dividends, salary, pension, fixed deposits, or rental income.
Requirements for applicants and holders of investment visas
- The successful applicant must visit Cyprus at least once every two years to maintain residency.
- The applicant must not obtain permanent residence in another country.
Annually, holders of the Cyprus Golden Visa must submit the following:
- Proof of maintaining the investment.
- Health insurance certificates for themselves and their family if they are not GESY beneficiaries.
PR holders are required to submit clean criminal records for themselves and their families from their country of origin and residence every three years.
Failure to submit or validate the above-mentioned documents will result in the withdrawal of the residence permit.
Investment options for Cyprus permanent residence
There are two ways to obtain permanent residence in Cyprus through investment:
- invest in property
- shares/ Alternative Investment Funds investment.
Residency by real estate investment
To get permanent residency in Cyprus, the applicant must:
- Buy residential real estate, such as a newly built house or apartment, by a developer worth at least € 300,000 plus VAT.
- OR Other real estate, such as offices or hotels, worth at least € 300,000 can be bought. This property can be a resale.
If the applicant invests in residential property, the funds must be transferred from abroad to Cyprus. There are no such requirements for investments in commercial real estate, company shares or funds.
Residency by investment in shares
To obtain residency, the applicant must invest in:
- Share capital of at least € 300,000 in a newly registered company in Cyprus,
- OR, an increase in the share capital worth at least € 300,000 of an existing company registered in the Republic. The company must be based and operate in Cyprus, have a proven physical presence on the island, and employ at least five people.
Alternative Investment Funds route
To get PR in Cyprus, the applicant must invest at least € 300,000 in units of a Cyprus Investment Organization of Collective Investments in the form of:
- AIF (Alternative Investment Funds)
- AIFNLP (Alternative Investment Fund for Limited Number of Persons)
- RAIF (Registered Alternative Investment Funds).
The applicant must submit, among other documents, titles or other proof of the purchased units and a confirmation by the CySec (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) for the funds set-up.
Dependent persons
The PR applications may include spouses, children up to 18 years old, and unmarried university students 18-25 years old.
Since the amendments to the residency scheme on May 2, 2023, the applicant's parents and parents-in-law are no longer eligible to acquire residence together with the applicant.
What are the Cyprus permanent residency benefits?
The permanent residence permit lasts indefinitely and, provided the holder continues to satisfy the criteria, will be revoked only in exceptional circumstances. Permanent residents enjoy the same level of protection as Cyprus citizens and EU nationals.
Moreover, their human rights and the rights to their property and possessions are safeguarded and guaranteed. Permanent residents are treated equally and without legal discrimination.
In brief, the benefits of the Cyprus permanent residency are the following:
- High standard of living.
- The country is an EU member and stable socially, politically and economically.
- Legal system based on the British.
- Safe environment, friendly to families. It is a great environment to bring up a family.
- Easy-going lifestyle and many opportunities to socialise.
- Expat community.
- Almost everyone speaks English.
- Favourable tax system.
- Investment-friendly system and jurisdiction.
- Relatively low cost of living.
- Excellent cuisine.
- A cultural life for lovers of history and learning.
Visa-free travel for permit holders
The residence permit in Cyprus does not allow visa-free travel to any EU country, except Bulgaria and Romania, or to the Schengen zone. This is because Cyprus is not currently a member of the Schengen zone.
Cyprus has submitted an application to join the Schengen zone, and it is currently being considered.
How to get Cyprus citizenship
Yet another benefit of permanent residence through an investment program is that it can lead to the acquisition of Cyprus citizenship.
You can get Cyprus citizenship after 8 years out of 10 as a permanent resident in the following manner:
- Complete seven years as a permanent resident and 12 months of continuous residence out of ten years. Absences of up to 90 days within those 12 months are allowed.
- Get the B1 level language certificate by passing the relevant Ministry of Education examinations. You are exempted from this requirement if you have completed school or acquired a University degree in Greek.
- Know the Cyprus socio-political context. You will be examined on this by the Ministry of Education.
- Maintain your clean criminal record and good character.
- Maintain your residence in the Republic.
- Intend to continue your residence in the Republic.
Note that all males between 18 and 26 who get Cyprus citizenship must do a 6-month military service; males over 26 must do a 3-month military service.
Our real estate collection eligible for residence program
We have many brand-new properties in prime locations that are eligible for permanent residence through investment applications.
Our collection can be divided into the following categories:
How we can help
- We help in every selection, negotiation, buying, selling and registration stage.
- We provide personal consultations, market analysis and advice on choosing suitable buy-to-let properties with the highest ROI.
- We offer professional investment property management services, including rental potential evaluation, maintenance and repairs, administrative duties, tenancy agreement and inventory management.
- If you wish to buy without visiting Cyprus, we act as your agents or proxies. Our dedicated team of trusted professionals, led by Chris Michael, has decades of experience assisting foreign investors in this manner.
FAQs
- Cyprus property investment for getting a permanent residence permit
- Preliminary due diligence
- Requirements for applicants and holders of investment visas
- Investment options for Cyprus permanent residence
- Dependent persons
- What are the Cyprus permanent residency benefits?
- Visa-free travel for permit holders
- How to get Cyprus citizenship
- Our real estate collection eligible for residence program
- How we can help
- FAQs