Getting Cypriot Citizenship in 2023: Conditions and Documents

Cyprus citizenship is EU citizenship. A Cypriot passport holder receives all European citizens' benefits: free movement, residence, business, employment, and education. In 2023 there are 3 programs for obtaining Cyprus citizenship. Let’s understand all the nuances.

There are several reasons why getting Cypriot citizenship is attractive: a booming economy, a mild tax climate, EU membership, quality English education, highly effective medicine, and British law in the country.

Cyprus’s citizenship as an EU country offers many advantages. One is the unique opportunity to reside in any EU country without a citizenship or residence permit. In addition, the Cypriot passport allows visa-free entry to more than 178 countries worldwide. The Republic also has an attractive tax system and low VAT rates. Cyprus is also considered the safest and most stable country in Europe and can serve as a reliable «backup airfield» in case of economic or political turmoil at home.

Basic requirements for Cyprus citizenship in 2023

Foreigners who have been legally residing in the Republic for 7 years before the date of application can apply for citizenship. If you are either parents or children of Cypriot nationals, 5 years, not 7 years, is required.

In any case, the applicant must have been legally and continuously residing in Cyprus for the last 12 months preceding the date of the application.

To obtain citizenship in Cyprus, a foreign national must meet the following basic requirements:

• Age. Only persons over the age of 18.
• Reputation. A foreign national must have an impeccable reputation and no criminal record.
• Knowledge of language. Knowledge of English or Greek at a basic level.
• Health. The applicant must not suffer from infectious or other diseases that may threaten public health.
• Tax Liabilities. The foreign national must have tax obligations in Cyprus and be a tax resident.
• Security Check. One must pass a security check, providing detailed information about one’s personal information, financial situation, business, and family status.
• Financial Stability. The applicant must prove that he has sufficient financial resources to provide himself and his family with a decent standard of living in Cyprus.
• Source of funds. Must provide proof that the investment funds were obtained legally.
• No tax debts. The applicant must not have obligations to the Cyprus tax office.
• Education. Must have higher education and the relevant diploma of the completed higher education.

In 2023 there are 3 programs for obtaining citizenship in Cyprus — these are:

• Naturalization — getting a residence permit, a permanent residence permit, and only then a Cypriot passport.
• Marriage to a Cypriot.
• By birthright, if one of your parents is Cypriot.

Let’s look at each method’s length and what documents are needed.

Naturalization citizenship: how to get it?

Citizenship by naturalization in Cyprus is obtaining Cypriot citizenship by foreigners who were not born in the country but had been legally residing on the island for a certain period and meet specific requirements. It allows you to become a full citizen of Cyprus and be entitled to all the privileges and obligations associated with this status.

To obtain citizenship by naturalization, a foreign national must legally reside in Cyprus for a certain amount of time:

• 7 years if you have a temporary residence permit (Pink Slip for non-EU citizens and Yellow Slip for EU citizens);
• 7 years for permanent residence permit holders (Permit to Stay);
• 5 years if you have a Cypriot relative.

You must also meet several other criteria, including a clean criminal record, a good reputation, language knowledge, sufficient financial solvency, and loyalty to Cyprus and its laws.

To obtain Cyprus citizenship through naturalization, all entries and exits must be listed appropriately based on the stamps in your passport to prove the required stay on the island. Applicants must file separate applications and pay the appropriate fee for each family member.

In more detail, to get citizenship in Cyprus by naturalization, you need to meet specific requirements, namely:

• To have legally resided in Cyprus continuously for at least 7 years before applying for citizenship.
• Be able to prove your loyalty to Cyprus and its laws.
• Have no criminal record and be in good standing.
• Have sufficient knowledge of the Greek or English language.
• To be able to prove their financial capabilities and not be a threat to the economic stability of Cyprus.
• To be registered with the local municipality and to pay taxes regularly (to be a tax resident).

You can apply for Cyprus citizenship by naturalization if you meet all these requirements. Contact the Cypriot State Migration Service for more information about the procedure and required documents for the application.

Documents for naturalization citizenship

The list of documents for the applicant is as follows:

• Application for Cyprus citizenship by naturalization.
• Passport or another identity document.
• Proof of legal residence in Cyprus for at least 7 years (e.g., passport stamps, property rental contracts, utility bills).
• Proof of financial solvency (e.g., bank statements, tax returns, income statements).
• Proof of knowledge of the Greek or English language.
• List of all entries and exits from Cyprus.
• Documents confirming social and cultural participation in the life of Cyprus (e.g., participation in local social organizations and cultural events).
• Two photographs of the applicant.
• Copy of birth certificate.
• Copy of marriage certificate, if any.
• Copies of children’s birth certificates (if any).
• Copy of marriage registration certificate (if any).
• Certificate of no criminal record from the country where you have resided for the last 5 years or certifications of no criminal history from all countries where you have lived for more than 6 months.
• Documents confirming a stable and legal source of income.
• Documents confirming residence in Cyprus — ownership of the real estate, if you bought a house, or a contract to rent a villa or apartment.
• Documents confirming the payment of taxes.
• Health insurance.

These requirements are subject to change as the legislation of the Republic of Cyprus is constantly being reviewed and amended. Therefore, before starting the citizenship process, please get in touch with SPM specialists for qualified advice and up-to-date information.

Citizenship through marriage to a Cypriot

Under Cypriot law, as a foreign citizen married to a Cypriot, you can apply for citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus through marriage. To do so, you need to meet specific time requirements before applying:

• Be married for at least 3 years;
• Live together on the island for at least 2 years.

To apply, you must provide proof of your marriage to a Cypriot (marriage certificate) and your continuous residence in Cyprus for the required period.

Documents for getting Cypriot citizenship through marriage

To get a Cypriot passport through marriage with a Cypriot citizen, you need to provide the following documents:

• application for citizenship on form M125 in two copies;
• a letter stating the reason for granting citizenship — this condition does not apply to couples who have lived together for 5 years or more and have children;
• birth certificate;
• certificate of no criminal record;
• marriage certificate;
• birth certificate of the child/children (if applicable);
• copy of passport;
• a copy of the passport of the Cypriot spouse;
• a statement of cohabitation signed in the presence of an official of the district administration or a diplomatic body, such as an embassy or consulate;
• a statement of cohabitation issued by the local authorities;
• a certificate of absence of illness after a medical examination;
• proof of means of subsistence;
• the Cypriot spouse must give their written consent to the application for citizenship;
• a receipt for payment of the state duty.

Documents are submitted to Cyprus’s local administrations or the embassy outside the country.

Important! All documents outside Cyprus must have an official Greek or English translation and apostille.

Citizenship by descent: who has the «right of return»?

Citizenship by descent, referred to and known as the «right of return», is the possibility to obtain Cypriot citizenship for those born in another country but one of whose first and second-line ancestors is Cypriot. If the person can prove that one of their parents or grandparents was Cypriot at birth, they get the right to return to their roots in the Republic of Cyprus. In such a case, there is no requirement to be present in the country or to know Greek or English, as is required in other issues with other grounds.

To obtain citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus by descent, the following conditions must be met:

• To be a descendant of a Cypriot: this can be a parent or grandparent born in Cyprus or has Cypriot citizenship at the time of birth.
• Proof of origin: all necessary documents, such as birth certificates and certificates of citizenship of parents and/or grandparents, must be submitted. You may also be required to provide credentials from archives and other documents that can help to confirm your origins.
• The legality of actions: do not have any offenses related to the illegal stay in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus or violation of local laws.
• Age: the applicant must be at least 18 years old.
• Translation of documents: you have to translate all required documents into Greek or English.
• Health: you have to pass a medical examination and provide a certificate that you are healthy and not a biological threat to Cypriot society.
• Place of residence: you need to provide documents that prove that you live on the island (rental agreement, utility bills, title deed if you bought property for living).

In this citizenship program, there are three types of applications for three different cases:

1. Application for a Consular Birth Certificate for minors or adults born abroad after August 16, 1960, whose father was a Cypriot citizen at the time of birth, and for those born after June 11, 1999, whose mother was a Cypriot citizen at the time of their labor.
2. Application for registration of minors born before June 11, 1999, in Cyprus or abroad, whose mother is a Cypriot citizen and whose father is a foreigner or a child whose father acquired Cypriot citizenship after his birth. Also, an M126-type application is available for minors whose father or mother acquired Cyprus citizenship by naturalization or registration due to marriage to a Cypriot national.
3. Application for adult candidates born after August 16, 1960, and neither of their parents was a Cypriot citizen on their birth date.

Documents for citizenship by descent

To get citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus by descent, you need to provide the following documents:

• Birth certificate of the applicant.
• Birth certificate of Cypriot parent or grandparent.
• Marriage certificate of the applicant (if any).
• Certificate of divorce or death of a spouse (if any).
• Certificate of citizenship of the applicant and all family members.
• Copies of passports of the applicant and all family members.
• Certificate of housing in Cyprus or documents confirming the availability of funds to purchase it.
• Certificate of no criminal record from any country where the applicant resided for more than a year after reaching the age of majority.
• The medical certificate confirms that the applicant does not suffer from any contagious or other diseases that might threaten public health in the Republic of Cyprus.

In addition, filling out a particular application form and paying the state fee is necessary.

Requirements for documents and applications

The proper preparation of all documents and applications accelerates the process of obtaining Cypriot citizenship. The following requirements must be met in order for the application to be successful:

• All documents must be in Greek or English. If they are in another language, they must be translated into one of these languages and notarized.
• All documents must be originals or certified copies.
• Some documents must necessarily bear an apostille stamp.

You can submit the abovementioned documents and forms in Cyprus at the Civil Registry and Migration Department, city district offices, and embassies/consulates abroad. The Citizenship Division of the Civil Registry and Migration Department processes applications.

Can I get Cyprus citizenship for investment in 2023?

No, the Cyprus Citizenship by Investment program is not available in 2023.

Previously, there were several ways to obtain investment citizenship in Cyprus. The first involved an individual contribution of 5 € million, and the second involved a group investment of 2.5 € million each, with a minimum of five investors in the group. In 2019, however, amendments were made to abolish the collective investment and reduce the individual investment to 2 million euros per investor.

In 2020, the citizenship-by-investment program was utterly shut down due to unscrupulous investors.

Nevertheless, today there is still a way to speed up obtaining citizenship. We are talking about getting a Cypriot passport, not after 7 years of residence by naturalization, but to reduce this period to 5 years. This is facilitated by obtaining Cyprus permanent residency through an accelerated procedure.

When you get a Permanent Residence Permit Fast Track, you get a new status 2 months or more after the application. To participate in the program, you must buy assets worth 300,000 euros plus VAT in Cyprus or shares or equities for the same amount. After the purchase, you can immediately apply for permanent residency by an expedited procedure for the whole family (spouse, minor children, your parents).

Once you receive permanent residence status, you have to live on the island for 7 years, after which you can become a citizen of the Republic and get all the benefits of European citizenship.

Why can I get my citizenship denied?

There are several reasons why citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus can be denied:

• Failure to meet general requirements: to get citizenship in Cyprus, one must meet specific needs, such as permanent residence in the country, good knowledge of the language, no criminal record, etc.
• Violation of immigration rules: if a foreign national does not comply with the immigration rules or violates the country’s laws, this can lead to rejection.
• Failure to comply with residency requirements: one must have lived on the island for a certain number of years (usually 7 years). If a person does not meet this requirement, they may be denied citizenship.
• Failure to meet education requirements: if there is no higher education or a specific English language proficiency level.
• Problems with the law: if a person has a criminal record for a serious crime or is the subject of a criminal investigation.
• Lack of sufficient means of subsistence: if a person does not have adequate means of subsistence, they can also be rejected when applying for citizenship.
• Non-compliance with security requirements: If a person has connections with terrorist organizations or has relationships with other countries, it could threaten Cyprus’s security.

Second citizenship of Cyprus: is it possible?

Can I get citizenship of Cyprus as a second citizenship without renouncing the citizenship of my home country?

Cyprus is one country that allows you to have a second citizenship without renouncing the citizenship of your home country. However, it is essential to remember that some countries do not allow dual citizenship and may require you to leave your citizenship if you become a Cypriot national. You should check the rules of dual citizenship in your home country.

It is also essential to consider that having second citizenship makes one obligated to comply with the laws and tax requirements in both countries of which one is a citizen.

Your advantages in getting Cypriot citizenship

However, any foreigner who gets citizenship in Cyprus receives several advantages:

• Free movement within the EU: Cypriot citizens have the right to travel and work freely in all EU countries as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
• Visa-free access to other countries: the right to visa-free travel to more than 170 countries makes Cypriot citizenship very valuable.
• Access to good education and health conditions: you will have access to the medical system of the state GESY, which compensates for 90% of the costs of treatment and stay in the hospital.
• Investment opportunities: Cyprus is an attractive destination for investors, offering low taxes and numerous profitable and liquid investment solutions.
• Quality of life: Cyprus is a tourist destination with a mild climate, clean beaches, and a high standard of living. Citizens can enjoy all the benefits of the island.
• Education: Cyprus offers quality education in international schools and universities, making it an attractive destination for parents looking for the best education for their children. English schools in the Republic are much cheaper than in other EU countries.

Also, read about how to open a bank account in Cyprus. In the article, we reviewed the procedure, listed the documents, named the best banks, and discovered what innovations are coming in 2023.

 

If you are considering moving to Cyprus and planning to become a tax resident, it will be helpful to know what taxes in Cyprus are, what rates, and what changes in 2023.

SPM is your most valuable contact in Cyprus.

 

To avoid losing important information about opening a bank account in Cyprus, download our short checklist:

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