- Six categories you rarely hear about
- Category F in detail: how much and from where
- How this differs from an expedited procedure
- Application procedure, fees and documents
- Status duration and how it is lost
- EU long-term residence — a separate basis, not to be confused with this one
- Frequently asked questions
Six categories you rarely hear about
Rule 4 of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations established the following procedure: applications for immigration permission are considered by the Immigration Control Committee, which submits its recommendations to the Deputy Minister for Migration and International Protection — the authority responsible for issuing such permissions. No permission is issued unless the committee has recommended to the Deputy Minister that the person falls within one of the categories set out in Rule 5.
There are six categories. The first three require capital: self-employment in agriculture, livestock, poultry, or aquaculture — with land or permission to acquire it and capital of around €430,000; self-employment in mining — with the relevant licence and capital of around €350,000; self-employment in a trade or profession — with a licence and capital of around €260,000. In all three cases the rules specify that a lower amount may be set by the Immigration Control Committee, and the activity must not have a negative impact on the Republic’s overall economy.
Category D — self-employment in a trade or profession, for those duly qualified to practise their trade or profession in Cyprus, who have sufficient means or a secured income and work in a field where the Republic needs additional specialists.
Category E — people who have been offered and intend to accept permanent employment in the Republic, in a role that does not create undue local competition in that field.
And Category F — those who have a fully and freely available annual income from abroad of sufficient size to live comfortably in Cyprus without engaging in any business, trade or profession in the Republic.
| Category | Grounds | Required capital |
|---|---|---|
| A | self-employment in agriculture and aquaculture | approximately €430,000 |
| B | self-employment in mining | approximately €350,000 |
| C | self-employment in a craft or profession | approximately €260,000 |
| D | self-employment in a trade or academic field | sufficient funds or income |
| E | a permanent job offer | not established |
| F | living on a comfortable income from abroad | no investment required |
Category F in detail: how much and from where
The requirement is short, but it contains three conditions at once. The income must be secured and annual, it must be entirely and freely at the applicant’s disposal, and it must come from abroad.
Amount: at least €9,568 per year for the applicant, plus at least €4,613 per year for each dependant. The figures are published by the department alongside their historical equivalents in Cypriot pounds — £5,600 and £2,700 respectively — which explains their non-round appearance.
The department lists examples of qualifying income: pensions, share dividends, interest on term deposits, rental payments and the like. The list is open-ended, but the nature of the income is clear — it is passive income, not earned income.
And the flip side, written directly into the category’s definition: the income must allow for a comfortable life in Cyprus without engaging in any business, trade or profession in the Republic. In other words, the prohibition on working here is not a separate condition — it is part of the very basis of the category.
- 9,568 € per year for the applicant
- 4,613 € per year per dependent
- Income from abroad, fully and freely available
- Pensions, dividends, deposit interest, rental income
- No business, trade, or profession in Cyprus.
How this differs from an expedited procedure
Two Cypriot permanent residency options are easy to confuse because they have similar names and lead to almost the same outcome. The difference lies in the entry requirements and what you need to maintain afterwards.
The accelerated procedure under Rule 6(2) requires an investment of €300,000 and an annual income of €50,000, takes around two months to process, and obliges you to confirm the investment is maintained each year. Category F requires no investment at all and has a threshold five times lower, but it is processed under the standard procedure — with no two-month guarantee.
Everything else is the same: the permit is issued under the same Aliens and Immigration Regulations, the right of residence is indefinite, the card is valid for ten years, dependants under Rule 8 are a spouse and children under 18, and status is lost in the same way — by acquiring a permanent home abroad or being absent from Cyprus for two years.
| Category F | Accelerated procedure | |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | not required | 300 000 € |
| Applicant’s income | 9,568 € per year | 50,000 € per year |
| For a dependent | 4,613 € per year | 15,000 € for a spouse, 10,000 € per child |
| Source of income | from abroad | depends on the type of investment |
| Processing time | general procedure | approximately 2 months |
| Annual review | not established by policy | preservation of the attachment and insurance |
| Right of residence | indefinitely, card valid for 10 years | indefinitely, card valid for 10 years |
Application procedure, fees and documents
Applications, together with the required original documents, are submitted only at the Migration Department offices in Nicosia. You may apply in person or through an authorised representative. Whether an appointment is required is specified separately by the department.
The application form is MIP2; it and the lists of required documents are available at departmental offices and on the official website.
All documents accompanying application forms must be officially translated and properly certified or ratified. Applications not accompanied by all required documents are not accepted for consideration at all.
Fees: €500 for the application — covering all persons included in it. An additional €70 if the applicant or any family member needs to obtain a foreigner’s registration certificate.
To issue the permit, biometric data is collected: photograph, fingerprints and signature. This can be done at the time of application, after submission or after review — in Nicosia or at the local aliens and immigration police unit in your area of residence. For children under six, only a photograph is taken.
It is also worth knowing how to add a family member to an already-approved permit: you submit form MIP2, a copy of the dependant’s valid passport, a declaration of the permit holder’s secured annual income with an affidavit, an original criminal record certificate for the spouse, a marriage certificate and birth certificates for any children — all certified and officially translated. The fee here differs: €50 per person added, plus the same €70 for the foreigner’s registration certificate.
One general warning from the department: submitting such an application does not in itself confer the right to remain in or enter the Republic without a valid residence permit or visa.
| Action | Fee |
|---|---|
| Immigration permit application | 500 € for all included persons |
| Certificate of registration of a foreigner | 70 € per person |
| Adding a family member later | 50 € per person |
Status duration and how it is lost
The right of residence under an immigration permit is indefinite — for the holder and their adult dependents. The card is issued for ten years from the date of issue and must be replaced upon expiry. Cards for minor dependents are valid until the age of 18.
After approval, there is a mandatory step for those living outside Cyprus: the permit becomes invalid if the applicant and dependants do not settle in Cyprus within one year of the approval date.
The permit is terminated in two cases: acquiring a permanent place of residence abroad, and absence from Cyprus for two years.
Under Rule 8, the permit holder may add a spouse and children under 18 as dependants.
- The right of residence is indefinite; the card is valid for 10 years
- Settlement in Cyprus must take place within one year of approval
- Two years of absence cancel the permit
- Dependents — spouse and children under 18
EU long-term residence — a separate basis, not to be confused with this one
Alongside the immigration permit, there is a long-term resident status of the Republic — a European-model construct, obtained through a different process.
Third-country nationals who have lawfully and continuously resided in government-controlled areas of the Republic for the five years preceding the application and hold a valid residence permit are eligible to apply.
Periods of absence do not interrupt the residence period and are counted toward it, provided each absence is under six months and the total does not exceed ten months over the relevant five-year period.
Excluded from eligibility are students and those entering for vocational training, persons with subsidiary protection and asylum seekers present in the Republic on a purely temporary basis — such as seasonal workers and employees of cross-border service providers — as well as persons covered by the Vienna Conventions of 1961, 1963 and 1975.
Status may be revoked and the permit annulled in cases of fraudulent acquisition, including a sham marriage; when expulsion measures are applied; after twelve consecutive months’ absence from the Community; on grounds of public order or security; upon obtaining long-term resident status in another member state; and after six consecutive years’ absence from the Republic.
The procedure: form MLT3, submission only at department offices in Nicosia, a fee of 30 euros, processing time from six to twelve months, the first permit is valid for five years.
| EU long-term resident | |
|---|---|
| Condition | 5 years of lawful continuous residence |
| Permitted absences | less than 6 consecutive months and up to 10 months over 5 years |
| Fee | 30 € |
| Review | 6–12 months |
| Permit duration | 5 years |
Cyprus permanent residence — Category F
- Checking whether the income structure meets the Category F requirements
- Threshold calculation for the whole family, accounting for each dependent
- Assembling the package, translating and certifying it to the department’s requirements
- Filing form MIP2 in Nicosia in person or through a representative
- Support through biometrics and card collection
- Analysis of the transition to EU long-term residence after five years
A legal consultation — 80 €.Credited toward the full service fee if you continue with us.
During the consultation the lawyer reviews your situation based on your documents and provides filing route: which basis, what will be needed and in what order.
Government fees, notarisation, certified translations and apostille, where required, billed separately at actual cost — we will itemise them for your situation. Processing time depends on the authority and its workload, which is why we do not publish an average figure.
Frequently asked questions
What income is required for Cyprus Category F permanent residence?
At least €9,568 per year for the applicant and at least €4,613 per year for each dependant. The income must be secured, entirely and freely at the applicant’s disposal, and sourced from abroad.
Is an investment required?
No. Category F requires no investment whatsoever — that is precisely what distinguishes it from the accelerated procedure under Rule 6(2), where the threshold is €300,000.
Can you work in Cyprus under Category F?
No. The category is defined as living on a secured income without engaging in any business, trade, or profession in the Republic. The prohibition is part of the qualifying basis itself.
What income is considered acceptable?
The Department lists as examples: pensions, share dividends, interest on term deposits and rental income. The list is open-ended, but the nature of the income must be passive.
How much does filing cost?
500 euros for the application covering all included persons, plus 70 euros per person for the foreigner’s registration certificate if required. Adding a family member to an already approved permit costs 50 euros per person.
How does an immigration permit differ from EU long-term residency?
An immigration permit can be obtained before you are living in Cyprus, and it grants an indefinite right of residence with a ten-year card. Long-term residency requires five years of lawful, continuous residence in the Republic, costs 30 euros, takes between six and twelve months to process, and is issued for five years.
Verified September 7, 2026. The thresholds and amounts are tied to indicators that are reviewed annually — check the official source for your country before filing.
Services and prices — openly, before any conversation
People usually add: apostille or document certification — 50 € · copy certification — 20 €. Two or more services — 5% off each.
Prices are in euros and are all-inclusive — nothing is added on top. Government fees are paid separately and directly: they are modest here — €70–140 per status.