Cyprus permanent residence via the fast-track procedure

What the status rests on and who issues it

The legal basis is stated in the policy itself: Rule 6(2) of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations. Under this rule, the Minister of Interior, having notified the Council of Ministers, decided to issue immigration permits to third-country applicants in cases of investments meeting the requirements of the policy.

Why it is the Deputy Minister of Migration, not the Minister of Interior, who decides at the next stage of the review: the 2023 policy quotes the previous version of the legislation. Law No. 4(I)/2025, published on 14 February 2025, rewrote the law on foreigners and immigration and transferred powers that previously belonged to the Minister of Interior to the Council of Ministers or the Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection, depending on the matter. The policy itself and its threshold remain unchanged.

The applicant must simultaneously satisfy two sets of conditions: one of the investment criteria and all of the qualitative criteria. Both sets are defined as closed lists, and there is no such thing as partial compliance.

There is also a requirement regarding the source of funds, placed at the very beginning of the document: it must be proven that the money for investment was transferred to Cyprus from abroad — from the applicant’s account or their spouse’s account, provided the spouse is included in the application as a dependent. The investment amount must be paid from the applicant’s account to the seller’s account at a Cypriot financial institution.

A later clarification to the fourth edition softened this in one place: funds from abroad may also be transferred from a company account where the applicant and their spouse are the sole shareholders, provided the shareholder is named in the application. The same rule applies to paying the remaining purchase price into the seller’s account.

The decision is made by the Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection — the migration department handles the case under an expedited procedure and submits it through the permanent secretary of the deputy ministry.

• Rule 6(2) of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations
• The current version of the policy is the fourth, in effect from 02.05.2023
• The funds must be transferred to Cyprus from abroad
• The decision is made by the Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection

Four ways to invest €300,000

The policy names four categories of investment, and the minimum amount is the same for all — 300,000 euros.

The first route is real estate: purchasing a house or apartment from a developer — first sale only — valued at no less than €300,000 plus VAT. Up to two residential units may be purchased if their combined market value meets the threshold; this rule extends to married couples, and the units need not be from the same developer.

The second is other real estate: offices, shops, hotels or related assets, or a combination thereof, with a total value of €300,000. Unlike residential property, the secondary market is permitted here.

Third — share capital in a Cypriot company that operates and has staff in the Republic: an initial investment of €300,000 in the capital of a newly registered company, or an increase of the capital of an existing one by the same amount. The company must be registered and operating in Cyprus, have a proven physical presence, and employ at least five people.

The fourth option — units in Cypriot collective investment vehicles of the AIF, AIFLNP, or RAIF type worth €300,000; the fund’s investments must be held within the Republic.

One general rule worth remembering before you apply: if a permit holder disposes of an investment without immediately replacing it with another of equal or greater value that meets the same conditions, the permit will be cancelled under Rule 6.

Income: €50,000 per year and where it must come from

In addition to the investment, the applicant must prove a secure personal annual income of at least 50,000 euros. That figure increases by 15,000 euros for a spouse and by 10,000 euros for each dependent child — the applicant’s own or the spouse’s.

Income may consist of salary, pensions, dividends from shares, interest on bank deposits, rental income and the like. A spouse’s income is also taken into account when calculating the total.

The source of income, however, depends on which investment option is chosen — and this distinction is the one most commonly overlooked. If the applicant invests in property under option A, income must come from abroad and is evidenced only by the tax return of the country where the applicant declares tax residency. If options B, C, or D are chosen, all or part of the income may also come from activity within the Republic.

The clarification to the fourth edition added a second way to prove income: annual income can be demonstrated either by a tax return from the country of tax residency or by official statements from an independent certified accountant.

Qualitative criteria: certificates, insurance and the prohibition on employment

The applicant and their spouse must provide a criminal record certificate from their country of origin and from their country of residence if different, and must not in general pose a threat to public order or public security in Cyprus.

The applicant and dependants must provide a health insurance policy covering both inpatient and outpatient care.

The applicant and spouse confirm that they do not intend to engage in any form of employment in Cyprus — with one exception: serving as directors of the company in which they invested under this policy.

At the same time, they are permitted to be shareholders in Cypriot companies, and dividends from such companies are not considered an obstacle to obtaining the permit; an unpaid directorship in such companies is also allowed.

A separate condition concerns accommodation. For investments B, C, or D, proof of housing in the Republic is required: title deed, a purchase agreement with payment confirmation, or a rental contract. For investment A, if the purchased property does not have enough bedrooms for all dependants, an alternative property to serve as their residence must be specified.

A requirement that derails plans more often than expected: all documents submitted with the application must be officially translated and duly certified.

• Criminal record certificate from the country of origin and from the country of residence
• Health insurance: inpatient and outpatient coverage
• Working in Cyprus is not permitted — except as a director of your own company
• Being a shareholder is permitted; dividends are not considered an obstacle
• All documents must have an official translation and certification

Children: three different scenarios instead of one

The permit is issued to the applicant and covers a spouse and children under 18 as dependants. If preferred, each spouse may obtain a separate permit — a separate application is filed and a fee is paid, but the second spouse does not need to meet the policy criteria independently.

The second scenario covers unmarried children aged 18 to 25 who, at the date of application, have demonstrated that they are enrolled in a higher education institution abroad and are financially dependent on the applicant. They submit their own separate application with their own fee, and the applicant must show an additional annual income of €10,000 for each such child. The permit obtained remains valid even after the child turns 25, even if they marry, stop studying, or stop being financially dependent. Their future spouse and minor children, however, cannot be included in that permit.

If the child wishes to study in Cyprus itself, they apply through the educational institution for a temporary student permit, and upon completion of their studies may submit their own application for an immigration permit — regardless of age, subject to the same condition of an additional €10,000.

The third scenario covers adult children over 18 who are financially independent of the applicant. A permit is also possible for them, but requires a larger investment: €300,000 multiplied by the number of such adult children. One adult child means an investment of €600,000, two means €900,000, and so on. For real-estate investments, at least 66% of the market value must be confirmed as paid at the time of application. Each such adult child must separately demonstrate their own assured annual income of €50,000 — plus €15,000 for a spouse and €10,000 for each minor child.

And a caveat that applies to all scenarios: if an investor permit is cancelled for any reason, the permits of the spouse and children are cancelled along with it.

Timelines, fees, and what happens after a decision

The application and supporting documents are submitted in person or through an authorized representative to the immigration department, by prior appointment or by another established method. When submitting through a representative, a certified power of attorney is required, bearing the applicant’s signature and the representative’s details, including full address and phone number.

Fees: €500 at application and an additional €70 per person included in the application — for issuance of the foreigner’s registration certificate, if not yet held.

The estimated processing time is approximately two months from the date a complete application is submitted, provided all policy criteria are met and there are no issues relating to criminal record, public order, or security.

The right of residence under such a permit is open-ended — for the holder and for their adult dependants. However, the card has a validity period of ten years from the date of issue and must be renewed upon expiry. Cards for minor dependants are valid until the age of 18.

After approval, there is a mandatory step: if the applicant and dependants are outside Cyprus, the permit becomes invalid if they do not settle in Cyprus within one year of the approval date.

And two grounds for losing status: acquiring a permanent place of residence abroad, and being absent from Cyprus for two years.

Annual review after obtaining status

The monitoring mechanism is written into the policy itself, and is rarely considered at the outset. From the date the permit is issued, the applicant must submit proof annually to the immigration department: confirmation that the investment is maintained, that sufficient income exists for themselves and their family, and that a health insurance policy is in place if they are no longer covered by the GESY system. In addition, the applicant and adult family members must submit an annual criminal record certificate from both their country of origin and their country of residence.

Failure to prove this results in cancellation of the applicant’s permit and that of their family members under Rule 6.

The clarification to the fourth edition eased the requirements considerably. The obligation to provide annual proof that the required income is still being maintained for the applicant and family has been removed. Criminal record certificates for the applicant and adult family members are now submitted once every three years instead of annually. Still required: annual confirmation that the investment is maintained, and proof of health insurance if the person is no longer a GESY beneficiary.

So after the clarification, the annual burden comes down to two things: keeping the investment in place and maintaining valid insurance. Police clearance certificates are required once every three years.

Frequently asked questions

Verified September 13, 2026. The thresholds and amounts are tied to indicators that are reviewed annually — check the official source for your country before filing.