Cyprus Permanent Residence Program
The Route to EU
Cyprus Permanent Residence Program: A home for entire family – even the in-laws!
The birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Cyprus has long been a choice holiday destination and enjoys a warm, sunny climate almost all year round. Most of the local residents speak English and many can also speak Russian. Cyprus has excellent air links to all of Europe and the rest of the world. Thanks to its historical ties to Britain, Cyprus also has numerous schools that follow the British curriculum and many students go on to study at UK universities.
Purchasing property in Cyprus is a fast and relatively simple route to permanent EU residency which is valid for life and can be inherited.
Beyond Immigration provides a holistic approach to your investment migration needs through a unique consultative style which differentiates us from our competitors. We offer objective and pertinent advice driven by long-term relationships. We have industry-leading experience in all aspects of investment migration and are well positioned to assist you with your Cyprus residency.
Advantages of the Cyprus Permanent Residence Program
Fast application process with high approval rate
Minimal physical presence: visit once every two years
High standard of living and education, secure and stable environment and highly-developed economy
Permanent residency valid for life for the entire family including spouse, dependent children up to 25 years old, parents and parents in law
Advantageous regime for tax residents
Viable route to Cypriot citizenship: eligible after five years for full EU benefits including visa-free travel
Programme Requirements
The Cyprus Residence Programme requires applicants to make a significant economic contribution to the country. In exchange, and subject to a stringent vetting and due diligence process, including thorough background checks, the applicants and their families are granted permanent residence in Cyprus. The requirements for the Cyprus Residence programme are as follows:
For the Main Applicant
Property purchase with a minimum value of EUR 300,000 + VAT
AND
EUR 30,000 deposit in a Cyprus bank for 3 years
For Dependent Family Members
EUR 5,000 for spouse
EUR 5,000 for children under 18 (or 18-25 and in full-time studies)
EUR 8,000 for each dependent parent in a Cyprus bank for 3 years
Application Timeline
Stage 01. Choose your property
Based on your budget and expectations for future returns, our advisors can discuss the available options with you in order to ensure that you select a property that suits your goals
Stage 02. Submit application
We prepare and submit all documents
The application and supporting documentation are submitted for processing and due diligence. Your individual time-frame may vary depending on the status of your chosen development. You will be required to make your bank deposit and complete your property purchase at this time
Stage 03. Receive permit
Finalise your investment
Once your application has been approved, you will be issued with your residence permit
Stage 04. Become a resident
Visit every two years to maintain status
Our team will be happy to assist you with monitoring and maintaining your residence status
Cyprus Residency Programme Frequently
Asked Questions
There are two ways of obtaining the Permanent Residency in Cyprus. The main difference between the 2 procedures is that with the Fast Track there is a minimum Investment criteria whereas with the Slow Track there is no minimum Investment criteria.
The Slow Track procedure is regulated under Regulation 5(f) which takes approximately 12 months to complete and although it does not have a minimum Real Estate Investment requirement the investor is still required to purchase a residence in Cyprus within one year from the approval of the application.
The Applicant must have at their disposal a secured and legal annual income high enough to allow them to live decently in Cyprus without having to engage in any business, trade or profession. This income must come from legal sources from abroad such as pensions, permanent deposits, rent, ownership of companies, shares etc.
The Fast Track procedure on the other hand is regulated under Regulation 6(2) which is a lot faster as it takes approximately 2 months to complete. The difference between the 2 procedures is that under the Fast Track there is a minimum Real Estate Investment requirement of €300.000,00 plus VAT. As with the Slow Track, the Fast Track Procedure requires that the Applicant shows that they have a secured and legal annual income high enough to allow them to live decently in Cyprus without the need to work.
With the Slow Track process the Law provides that the annual income required should be at least EUR 9.568,17 for a single applicant and moreover at least EUR 4.613,22 for every dependent person.
Under the Fast Track procedure the applicant should submit a confirmation letter from a financial institution in Cyprus that they have deposited a minimum capital of EUR 30.000 into an account, which will be pledged for a period of at least three years.
Additionally, the applicant should prove that they have at their disposal a secure annual income of at least EUR 30.000. This annual income should increase by EUR 5.000 for every dependent person and by EUR 8.000 for every dependent parent or parent-in law.
In both cases the amounts must have been transferred to Cyprus from abroad.
The Immigration Permit issued to an applicant covers their spouse and children under the age of 18. For unmarried children of the Applicant from the ages of 18 to 25, the Law considers then as financial dependant if they are enrolled in tertiary education with at least six months of remaining study period from the date of the submission of the application.
Parents and parents-in-law of the Applicant may also be considered dependants with the condition that the applicant presents an additional annual income of €8.000 for every such dependent parent.
Under the Regulations the Applicant must have made an investment in Real Estate. The property purchased must be new with a minimum value of at least EUR 300.000,00 (not including VAT).
The Investment can either be in just residential properties or residential and commercial. It cannot just be commercial.
The Investor can invest in a residence (house or apartment) or in 2 residences, or 1 residence and 1 commercial property (ie shop) of up to 100 square meters or one residence and an office of up to 250 square meters.
In the event that the Investor decides to invest in multiple properties then it is a requirement that the properties are purchased from the same developer.
With the Slow Track process the Law provides that the annual income required should be at least EUR 9.568,17 for a single applicant and moreover at least EUR 4.613,22 for every dependent person.
Under the Fast Track procedure the applicant should submit a confirmation letter from a financial institution in Cyprus that they have deposited a minimum capital of EUR 30.000 into an account, which will be pledged for a period of at least three years.
Additionally, the applicant should prove that they have at their disposal a secure annual income of at least €30.000. This annual income should increase by EUR 5.000 for every dependent person and by EUR 8.000 for every dependent parent or parent-in law.
In both cases the amounts must have been transferred to Cyprus from abroad.
The Immigration Permit issued to an applicant covers their spouse and children under the age of 18. For unmarried children of the Applicant from the ages of 18 to 25, the Law considers then as financial dependant if they are enrolled in tertiary education with at least six months of remaining study period from the date of the submission of the application.
Parents and parents-in-law of the Applicant may also be considered dependants with the condition that the applicant presents an additional annual income of EUR 8.000 for every such dependent parent.
Under the Regulations the Applicant must have made an investment in Real Estate. The property purchased must be new with a minimum value of at least EUR 300.000,00 (not including VAT).
The Investment can either be in just residential properties or residential and commercial. It cannot just be commercial.
The Investor can invest in a residence (house or apartment) or in 2 residences, or 1 residence and 1 commercial property (ie shop) of up to 100 square meters or one residence and an office of up to 250 square meters.
In the event that the Investor decides to invest in multiple properties then it is a requirement that the properties are purchased from the same developer.
There are 2 ways in which the Permanent Residence Investor can acquire the EU Citizenship.
The first way in which a Permanent Residence investor can acquire the EU citizenship is after 7 years of residence on the Island with the year, preceding the Application for Citizenship, the Investor was resident on the island for a complete 365 days.
The second way for the Investor to acquire the EU Citizenship is by applying under the Cyprus Investment Scheme for Naturalization of Investors by Exception. Under the Cyprus Investment Scheme the Investor will be eligible to acquire the EU Citizenship through investments of at least EUR 2.000.000,00 in Real Estate and other Assets.
The assets acquired under the Permanent Residence Scheme can be used to form part of the Investor’s portfolio of investments for the Cyprus Investment Scheme for Naturalization of Investors by Exception.
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