CyprusPermanent residence by investment

Permanent residence by investment in Cyprus

Permanent residence for nationals of countries outside the European Union who are prepared to invest capital in the Cypriot economy. The application is considered by the Migration Department under a fast-track procedure, with the final decision taken by the deputy minister. The holder lives in Cyprus with no time limit and includes a spouse and minor children in the application. The applicant proves the foreign origin of the money invested, a steady personal income and a clean legal record. The programme does not allow employment.

Visa term

Permanent residence with no annual renewal; card replaced every 10 years

Processing time

About 2–6 months to consider

Work

Passive income; employment is not desirable, business/dividends are allowed

Residence

Must not be absent for more than 2 consecutive years

Source: gov.cy — immigration permits for investors

What the investment can be made in

The official criteria set out four categories of investment, but in substance they fall into two directions — property, or business and funds. The direction chosen also affects how personal income is subsequently evidenced.

Property

Purchase of a new flat or house from a developer (first sale)
Purchase of other real estate — offices, shops, hotels, including on the secondary market
Income must come from abroad and be evidenced by a tax return from the country of tax residence

Business or funds

Investment in the share capital of a Cypriot company with staff and a physical presence in Cyprus
Purchase of units in a Cypriot investment fund
Part of the income being evidenced may come from sources within Cyprus

When the programme will not suit you

You plan to take up formal employment in Cyprus

You need an ordinary work permit or work visa — the holder of this status confirms that they do not intend to work as an employee, other than as an unpaid director of the company they invested in.

You do not have free capital for an investment of this scale

It is worth considering less capital-intensive residence permit categories that are not tied to large investments.

You plan to take up permanent residence in another country or to leave Cyprus for a long time

The status is cancelled if the holder obtains permanent residence abroad or is absent from Cyprus for two consecutive years — the programme is not suitable for such plans.

You need temporary rather than permanent status — for example, for the duration of your studies

An ordinary temporary residence permit or a student residence permit will suit, rather than a Reg. 6.2 permit.

What it costs

Minimum investment amountInvested in housing, other real estate, the share capital of a Cypriot company or units in an investment fund	300 000 EUR
Application submission feePaid when the application is submitted to the Migration Department	500 EUR
Alien Registration Certificate (ARC) fee per personFor each family member included in the application who does not yet hold such a certificate	70 EUR
Investment where one adult child is includedThe amount doubles if one financially independent adult child is included in the permit	600 000 EUR
Investment where two adult children are includedFor each further such child the amount increases by another €300,000	900 000 EUR
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. the “Investment where one adult child is included” branch replaces the “Minimum investment amount” line — 600 570 EUR; the “Investment where two adult children are included” branch replaces the “Minimum investment amount” line — 900 570 EUR. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	300 570 EUR

Paid separately

VAT on the purchase of new housing — The government fee does not include VAT — the applicant pays that amount separately to the developer
Official translation and certification of documents — All documents accompanying the application are translated and certified at the applicant's expense
Health insurance policy — Separate insurance is required for the applicant and family members — its cost is not part of the government fees
Services of lawyers, estate agents and intermediaries — The official source does not set their cost — these are expenses agreed with the provider

Documents to gather

The full pack depends on the category of investment chosen, but the basic set includes documents on income, reputation and the origin of funds.

Application on form MIP2
Title deed to the property or a sale and purchase agreement lodged with the Department of Lands and Surveys (where the investment is in housing or other real estate)
Official payment documents evidencing the transfer of the investment funds from abroad (bank statements, a bank certificate, transfer receipts)
An affidavit or official declaration of the applicant's annual income
An official declaration that the applicant does not intend to take up employment in Cyprus
A clean criminal-record certificate for the applicant and spouse from the country of origin and the country of residence
A health insurance policy covering in-patient and out-patient treatment for the applicant and dependants
Where the investment is in a company — the certificate of incorporation, list of shareholders, business profile and confirmation from the Social Insurance Department that at least five staff are employed
Where the investment is in fund units — documents on the units acquired, confirmation from CySEC and the fund's memorandum

How the process runs

The procedure follows a fast-track route and consists of preparing the investment, submitting the documents and periodically confirming the status thereafter.

1
Preparing the investment and transferring the funds
The applicant chooses the category of investment — housing, other real estate, the share capital of a Cypriot company or units in an investment fund — and transfers the required amount to Cyprus from abroad, from their own account or their spouse's, to the seller's account with a Cypriot bank.
2
Assembling the document pack
Title documents for the investment, proof of income, criminal-record certificates, insurance and the remaining papers are prepared; all documents are translated and certified.
3
Submitting the application to the Migration Department
The application is submitted in person or through an authorised representative by prior appointment; the application submission fee and the Alien Registration Certificate fee for each family member included are paid.
4
Consideration under the fast-track procedure
about two months
The Department checks compliance with the criteria and that there is no threat to public order, then refers the application for decision to the deputy minister for migration and international protection.
5
Moving and obtaining resident status
within 1 year of approval if the applicant is abroad
If the applicant and their dependants are living outside Cyprus at the time of approval, they must arrive and take up residence within a year — otherwise the permit is cancelled.
6
Periodic confirmation of status
The permit holder confirms annually that the investment has been retained, and renews the criminal-record certificate and proof of health insurance (if the person no longer uses GESY) for themselves and adult family members once every three years.

Who you can bring with you

The permit is issued to the applicant but may extend to various categories of family member — each with its own conditions and, where applicable, a separate fee.

Spouse

Included in the applicant's permit as a dependant automatically; if preferred, the spouse may obtain their own separate permit by a separate application with a separate fee, without meeting the investment criteria in their own right.

Children under 18

Included as dependants in the parent's permit; the child's residence card is valid until they reach the age of majority.

Unmarried children aged 18 to 25 in full-time education abroad

They submit a separate application with a fee if they are financially dependent on their parents; the parents must evidence additional annual income for each such child. The permit remains in force even if the child later marries or passes the age of 25, but their future spouse will not be able to obtain status as a dependant under the same permit.

Adult children financially independent of their parents

They may obtain their own permit if the total family investment is increased in proportion to the number of such children and separate personal income is evidenced for themselves, their spouse and their minor children.

Renewal and the grace period

The right of permanent residence is open-ended and in substance does not require renewal. The physical residence card, however, is valid for ten years and must be replaced when that period expires (for minors, the card is valid until they reach 18). The permit is cancelled if the holder and their dependants take up permanent residence abroad or are absent from Cyprus for two consecutive years. Retention of the investment and the existence of health insurance, if the person no longer uses GESY, must be confirmed annually, while the criminal-record certificate need only be renewed once every three 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.

	Permanent residence by investment	Residence permit for the financially independent	FIC work residence permit
Visa term	Permanent residence with no annual renewal; card replaced every 10 years	The Pink Slip is usually issued for 1 year (sometimes 1–2), renewed annually	The permit and residence permit are usually for 1–2 years, renewable while the job continues
Grounds	Property from €300,000	No right to work	Employees of international companies
Work	Passive income; employment is not desirable, business/dividends are allowed	Employment in Cyprus is not allowed; passive income only	Full employment with the FIC; a change of employer means a new procedure
Residence	Must not be absent for more than 2 consecutive years	Do not stay away for more than about 90 consecutive days or six months	No more than 90 days of absence a year; 183 days for tax purposes

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

This is Cyprus permanent residence itself

Route to citizenship

Citizenship through naturalisation after 5–7 years of residence

Frequently asked questions about Permanent residence by investment

Do you have to live in Cyprus permanently to keep the status?

No, the programme does not require permanent residence, but a resident loses the status if they and their dependants formally take up permanent residence abroad or do not appear in Cyprus for two consecutive years.

Can you work in Cyprus on this permit?

No, the permit holder and their spouse confirm that they do not intend to take up employment in Cyprus — the only exception is the post of director in the company invested in under this programme.

What happens if the property bought for the investment is sold?

Disposing of the object of the investment without immediately replacing it with another asset of the same or greater value that meets the programme's conditions will lead to cancellation of the permit.

How long does the application take to consider?

The fast-track procedure envisages consideration in about two months from the date the complete document pack is submitted, after which the decision is taken by the deputy minister for migration and international protection.

Can part of the income come from sources within Cyprus?

That depends on the direction of the investment: where the investment is in housing, income must come only from abroad and be evidenced by a tax return, whereas where the investment is in other real estate, a business or a fund, part of the income may come from sources within Cyprus.

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.