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Residence Permits
Residential Permit is easily obtained after the fulfillment of a certain investment and immigration requirements. Application forms are available from any local immigration office. On completion of these forms, they should be returned to the immigration office with the following supporting documentation:
- A certificate from a local bank confirming that the applicant holds an external account with that bank. This specific document should also indicate the current account balance.
- Passport.
- A copy of a sales contract or a rental agreement.
- Letter of guarantee of CYP 300 obtained from the Bank.
- Three passport photographs.
- CYP 20.00 (application processing fee).
Temporary Permit
The granting of this permit requires the existence of a bank account in Cyprus and a sales agreement of the property purchased. Temporary residence status can be from one to four years.
Permanent permit
In addition to the above requirements, the applicant must establish evidence of a secured annual income of not less than CYP 5.600 per person plus CYP2.700 for each dependant person. (Because of the entry of Cyprus to the EU, it is possible that the law in respect of permits for Europeans will change.) For more information please contact the Ministry of Interior Affairs, in Nicosia.
General Information Regarding Entry and Stay of Aliens in Cyprus
- Visitor : Aliens may enter Cyprus for a maximum period of 3 months provided they possess a valid national passport, return tickets to their country of domicile and are in possession of sufficient funds for their maintenance during their stay in Cyprus.
The date of expiry of a visitor's permit in Cyprus is normally stamped on the visitor's passport. Visitors wishing to extend their stay in Cyprus are advised to apply through the Aliens Office of the District in which they reside. This should be done at least two weeks before the expiration of their permit and the application should be submitted on the prescribed form.
- Employment in Cyprus : Applications for employment should be submitted not by the person(s) concerned but by their prospective employers in Cyprus to the Migration Department, Nicosia. Applications should be submitted by the employers in Cyprus on the appropriate forms. The latter are available from the Aliens Office of the District of residence of the employer who should submit them together with a covering letter and a copy of the offer of employment. Each application is treated on its own merits and no general rules for its approval may be given in advance. Applications usually take 2 to 4 weeks. Plus to be considered are the result in communicated to the employer in Cyprus. Persons wishing to travel to Cyprus solely for the purpose of employment are advised to ensure that an employment permit has been secured beforehand.
Immigration Permits are classified under 5 categories:
Applications should be accompanied by all relevant documents regarding applicant's financial standing. Applications are made on the appropriate form(s) and submitted to the Migration Department, Ministry of Interior Affairs, for consideration.
Category 'A' Farming
Category 'B' Mining
Category 'C' Trade and Business
Category 'D' Self-employment
Category 'E' Cyprus employer work
Applications under Category F are usually made by persons who wish to retire to the Island
Applicants under this category should be of independent means of support and documentary proof of their income (from Banks, Pension Funds etc) should be submitted together with their applications.
Category 'F' Applicants of Independent Means:
This category is for persons who have a secured annual income, high enough to give
them a decent living in Cyprus without having to engage in any business, trade or
profession. Most applicants come under this category, the majority being pensioners
or retired persons. The annual income required depends on family size, as shown
below, but the Immigration Control Board may demand additional amounts.
APPLICANT ANNUAL INCOME
Single Applicant £3,800 CYP Applicant and 1 Dependant £5,675 CYP
Applicant and 2 Dependants £7,550 CYP
Applicant and 3 Dependants £9,425 CYP |