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Getting residence in South Cyprus

Cyprus offers EU access, Category F permit (passive income), employment permits and permanent residence by investment.

How to read the paths

Each card combines a category (how you qualify), an outcome (what you get) and duration (renewable title or permanent). RBI ≠ CBI: the first grants residence, the second a passport.

  • EU free movement — EU/EEA citizens: registration, not a classic consular visa.
  • Work / employment — Status tied to a local employer or qualifying contract.
  • Entrepreneur / company — Activity or company setup: the visa follows the project, not a passport.
  • Passive income / retirement — Stable income (pension, dividends, rent) without local employment.
  • Nomad / remote — Remote work for an employer or clients outside the country.
  • Residence by investment — Investment or financial threshold → residence (not a passport).
  • Citizenship by investment — Investment or contribution → passport (programmes often restricted).
  • Naturalisation / long stay — After years of legal stay: PR, ILR, C permit, etc.
  • Other — Visit, transit or routes outside the frames above.

Paths by category

Indicative thresholds, timelines and fees — verify with official sources and local counsel.

Work / employment

Work permit / EU

Work / employment Residence permit Temporary
Who it fits
Local employment or EU citizen
Outcome
Employment-linked residence
Typical timeline
2–4 months
Indicative cost
$300–$2,000

Process steps

  1. Contract
  2. Employer files
  3. Permit
  4. Renewal

Sources: moi.gov.cy

Passive income / retirement

Category F (passive income)

Passive income / retirement Residence permit Temporary
Who it fits
Stable passive income outside Cyprus, housing, insurance
Outcome
Renewable permit without local work right
Typical timeline
2–6 months
Indicative cost
$500–$3,000

Process steps

  1. Passive income proof
  2. Lease/property
  3. Cyprus bank
  4. Civil Registry dossier
  5. Permit

Sources: moi.gov.cy

Residence by investment

Permanent Residence (property investment)

Residence by investment Permanent residence Permanent
Who it fits
Minimum property investment (~EUR 300k + VAT — verify)
Outcome
PR for investor and family
Typical timeline
3–9 months
Indicative cost
$330,000–$500,000

Process steps

  1. Select new property
  2. Contract + funds
  3. Immigration dossier
  4. PR cards

Sources: moi.gov.cy

Citizenship by investment

Citizenship by investment (suspended)

Citizenship by investment Citizenship / passport Permanent

Property PR (section 6.2) remains a separate RBI route. Beware intermediaries promising a passport.

Who it fits
“Golden passport” programme suspended since 2020 for new applications
Outcome
Cyprus passport — not accessible via the legacy scheme for new applicants
Typical timeline
0 months
Indicative cost
Quote locally

CBI programme closed — do not budget.

Process steps

  1. Confirm the offer targets PR (RBI), not citizenship
  2. Verify with the Ministry of Interior

Sources: moi.gov.cy

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