CyprusPermanent residence

Residential immigration permit in Cyprus

A permanent immigration permit for foreign nationals with a guaranteed income from abroad. The permit is issued without a time limit, but its holder must settle in Cyprus within a year of approval and may lose the permit through long absence. A spouse and children are entered on the permit as dependants until they reach the age of majority. Working in the Republic is prohibited — all income must come from abroad.

Source: Civil Registry and Migration Department of Cyprus (gov.cy)

Who the programme suits

The programme is designed for foreign nationals who wish to live in Cyprus on a permanent basis and can evidence a guaranteed annual income from abroad.

Main route

A third-country national
A documented guaranteed annual income from abroad
Readiness to settle in Cyprus within a year

With family

The spouse of the permitted person
Children under the age of 18
Adult family members with an income of their own

Sources of income

Pensions, dividends on shares, interest on deposits
Rental payments and other regular income
The income must be freely available and unencumbered

When the programme will not suit you

You want to take up employment in Cyprus

Turn to the labour migration programme (Employment Permit)

You are an investor or a businessperson

Consider the programmes for investors (Investor Program) or for the self-employed

Your income is below the minimum laid down

Check the requirements with the Migration Department or wait until your income increases

Documents to gather

All documents are submitted in the original to the Migration Department in Nicosia. Foreign documents must be officially translated into English and certified. An incomplete set of documents will not be accepted for consideration.

Application on the prescribed form
Proof of identity (passport with a copy)
Documents evidencing the guaranteed annual income (bank statements, pension certificates, tenancy agreements, dividend receipts)
A dependant's declaration from each family member to be included in the permit
An affidavit (sworn statement) that the conditions are met
Marriage documents (where applicable)
Children's birth certificates (where applicable)
Criminal-record certificate
Official translation of all documents into English

How the process runs

Obtaining the permit goes through several stages of control and approval.

1
Preparing and submitting the documents
The applicant collects all the necessary documents with official translations and certifications, then submits them to the Migration Department in Nicosia in person or through an authorised representative.
2
Examination by the Immigration Control Committee
Under regulation 4 of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations the Immigration Control Committee examines the application and the documents, checking compliance with all the programme's requirements.
3
Preparing the recommendation
The Committee passes its recommendation to the Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection, who is the competent authority for issuing the permit.
4
The minister's decision
The deputy minister takes the final decision on the application. The decision is notified to the applicant in writing.
5
Receiving the permit and moving to Cyprus
Once approved, the permit is issued. The applicant must settle in Cyprus within a year of approval — otherwise the permit ceases to have effect.

Timelines and rights

Work

Employment, running a business, trade or a profession in Cyprus is not allowed. All income must come from abroad and be freely available to you.

Who you can bring with you

The family members of the permitted person may be included on their permit as dependants.

Spouse

Included on the permit on the basis of the marriage certificate. Requires a declaration of guaranteed income with original financial documents and an affidavit.

Children until they reach the age of majority

Children under the age of 18 are automatically included on the main applicant's permit. Birth documents and an income declaration are required.

Adult children (over 18)

Not included automatically. They may file a separate application as applicants in their own right if they have a guaranteed income of their own.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

You must settle in Cyprus within a year of the application being approved. Absence for 2 consecutive years cancels the permit.

A category F immigration permit is issued without a time limit — the residence right is unlimited. The permit card itself, however, is issued for a period of ten years from the date of issue and must be replaced when that period expires. The permit ceases to have effect if: the permitted person and their dependants do not settle in Cyprus within a year of the application being approved; the person acquires permanent accommodation abroad; or the person has been absent from Cyprus continuously for two years.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Residential immigration permit	Residence permit for the financially independent	Permanent residence by investment
Visa term	The permit is issued without a time limit	The Pink Slip is usually issued for 1 year (sometimes 1–2), renewed annually	Permanent residence with no annual renewal; card replaced every 10 years
Grounds	A permanent immigration permit	No right to work	Property from €300,000
Work	Employment, running a business, trade or a profession in Cyprus is not allowed	Employment in Cyprus is not allowed; passive income only	Passive income; employment is not desirable, business/dividends are allowed
Residence	You must settle in Cyprus within a year of the application being approved	Do not stay away for more than about 90 consecutive days or six months	Must not be absent for more than 2 consecutive years

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Category F is itself permanent residence: the immigration permit is issued without a time limit. Under regulation 8 of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations a spouse and children under 18 are entered on it as dependants.

Route to citizenship

Naturalisation is applied for on form M127. Twelve months of continuous lawful residence before filing are required, plus a further 7 years in total over the preceding 10 years.

Frequently asked questions about Residential immigration permit

What minimum annual income is required for category F?

The minimum guaranteed annual income is 9,568 euros for the applicant and 4,613 euros for each dependant (a spouse or child included on the permit).

Which sources of income are accepted as evidence?

The following sources of guaranteed income are accepted: pensions, dividends on shares, interest on term deposits, rental payments and similar sources of regular income from abroad. The income must be freely available and free from any encumbrance.

Can I work in Cyprus if I hold a category F permit?

No. The holder of a category F permit has no right to take up employment, run a business, trade or practise a profession in Cyprus. All income must come from abroad.

How long is a category F immigration permit valid for?

The residence right obtained on the basis of a category F permit is granted without a set expiry date and remains in force indefinitely. The permit card itself, however, is valid for ten years from the date of issue and must be replaced when that period expires.

How long do I have to travel and settle in Cyprus?

Once the permit is approved, you must settle in Cyprus within a year. If you do not, the permit ceases to have effect. In addition, absence from Cyprus for two consecutive years also leads to cancellation of the permit.

Other ways to move to Cyprus

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Cyprus.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.