Immigration Law

In accordance with the Regulation 6(2) of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations allows a non-EU investor to apply for permanent residency in Cyprus assuming he/she meets certain criteria.

The main requirement is one of the following investment options:

• Purchase of new immovable property of a total market value of at least EUR 300,000 plus VAT.
• Purchase of up to two new or used immovable non-residential properties (offices, shops, hotels, or other developments) of a total market value of at least EUR 300,000 plus VAT.
• Share capital of EUR 300,000 of a physical company registered and operating in Cyprus, which employs at least five people.
• Units of EUR 300,000 in the Cyprus Investment Funds Association’s collective investments (AIF, AIFLNP, RAIF)
The applicant must provide supporting evidence of a secured annual
income of at least EUR 30,000 deriving from abroad (an additional EUR 5,000 is required for each
dependent spouse and adult child, and EUR 8,000 for each parent).

The Registration certificate, commonly known as ‘Cyprus Yellow Slip’, as it is printed on yellow paper, is available to European (EU and EEA) citizens who wish to stay and work in the Republic of Cyprus, in accordance with the implementation of Law no. 7(I) of 2007 “The Right of Union Citizens and their Family Members to Move and Reside Freely within the Territory of the Republic of Cyprus Law of 2007”.
There are three forms to be completed depending on the status of each individual:
• MEU1 form: for Citizens of the European Union and their family members who are also citizens of the European Union.
• MEU2 form: Once the main applicant receives the yellow slip the family members who are not European Union citizens can apply with the MEU2 form.
• MEU3 form: EU citizens living in Cyprus for a continuous period of 5 years are eligible to apply for a permanent residence certificate, which will confirm their right to permanently live in the country.

In accordance with the Civil Registry and Migration Department of Cyprus, the below certain criteria must be fulfilled for employment of a domestic worker:
• Families with a child under the age of 12 when both parents work and contribute to the Social Insurance Fund.
• Families with no children when both husband and wife, work and their annual declared taxable income is more than €52.000.
• Single parent families granted the custody of a child under the age of 12, provided that the parent works and contributes to the Social Insurance Fund.
• In cases where one of the two parents works, the annual declared taxable income should be at least €86.000.
• Single working persons provided that their annual declared taxable income is more than €52.000 and that they are contributing to the Social Insurance Fund.

If the majority of the Cyprus company’s shares are owned by third-country nationals in order to employ non-EU national, then the company shall be registered in the Business Facilitation Unit of the Ministry of Energy and Commerce.
Once the company is registered in the BFU a third-country national who wishes to work in Cyprus, must be first registered in the Migration Department. Kindly note that the minimum salary is EUR 2.500 for key personnel and EUR 4,000 for Director. The minimum employment period is for 2 years.

On the 15th of October, 2021, the Council of Ministers approved the introduction of the Digital Nomad Visa Scheme in Cyprus, with a ceiling of 500 residence permits to be issued.
The “Cyprus Digital Nomad Visa” Scheme allows nationals from non-EU and non-EEA countries, who can perform their work location-independently using telecommunications technology, to reside temporarily in Cyprus and work for an employer registered abroad or perform work through telecommunications technology for companies or clients located abroad.