€300,000+
Investment amount
Cyprus permanent residency is granted for an investment of at least €300,000+ in real estate, fund units, or shares of Cypriot companies.
This residency is issued under an accelerated process, as outlined in Regulation 6(2) of the Cyprus Aliens and Immigration Regulations. The permit is indefinite, meaning it does not expire.
Permanent physical presence in Cyprus is not required, provided the investor does not intend to apply for Cypriot citizenship. If permanent residents decide to obtain a Cypriot passport, they must live in the country for at least eight years.
Cypriot citizenship allows holders to visit more than 170 countries without a visa, including the Schengen states and the UK.
Cyprus grants permanent residency indefinitely. Investors do not need to reapply or go through the acquisition process again. The only requirement is to renew the residence card, which is a simple procedure completed in just a couple of weeks.
Obtaining Cyprus permanent residency by investment takes around 9 months, with most of the time spent on Due Diligence by the country’s authorities. There’s no need for investors to seek employment, enrol in studies, or justify their stay through other means.
Engaging an immigration agent simplifies the procedure significantly, as lawyers handle most of the paperwork and communication with government bodies.
Permanent residents of Cyprus enjoy faster processing when applying for Schengen or US visas through the Cypriot authorities.
Moreover, Cyprus plans to join the Schengen Area by the end of 2025. Once this happens, Cypriot permanent residents will gain visa-free access to Schengen countries.
Non-resident investors do not pay taxes on their global income in Cyprus.
Income earned within the country is taxed at 0% to 30%, while the corporate tax rate is only 12.5%, one of the lowest in the EU.
Cyprus has a well-developed healthcare system. Every major city has public hospitals, and private clinics are widely available, offering high-quality medical services to residents.
Children of permanent residents have the same rights to education as Cypriot citizens.
The country hosts international schools and universities, some of which are branches of globally recognised institutions.
Real estate purchased under the Cyprus Golden Visa program can be rented out. The average monthly rent is €750—930 for a one-bedroom apartment and €1,400—1,750 for a three-bedroom apartment. Annual rental yields typically range between 5.5% and 7.5%, depending on the location.
If the investor obtains Cyprus citizenship, they can sell assets purchased for residency.
Property prices grow steadily year-on-year, with some types of property in certain areas seeing a 12% increase.
Alongside investors, their family members can also obtain permanent residence. This status allows the entire family to move to Cyprus and enjoy all the benefits the country offers at any time.
The investor can apply for citizenship after eight years of living in the country as a permanent resident. Cyprus is an EU member state.
Minimum investment in the country’s economy is €300,000. An investor chooses between four investment options: purchase a residential or commercial property, shares of Cypriot companies, or units of investment funds registered and operating in Cyprus.
Investors must have a stable income of at least €50,000 per year. If the applicant is accompanied by family members, additional income is required:
Registration address in Cyprus is mandatory. Therefore, if an applicant invests in a company’s share capital or fund units, they must buy or rent housing. In this case, there are no property or lease value requirements.
Investors must annually confirm that they maintain the investment and keep medical insurance for all family members. Every 3 years, all family members over 18 must submit certificates of no criminal record from the country of citizenship and the country of residence.
Investors can return the money after they obtain citizenship. If an investor sells real estate, company shares or fund units before that, their permanent resident status is revoked.
An investor can buy one or two new real estate properties. Their total cost must be no less than €300,000. The investor cannot invest in properties on the secondary market.
Also, a value-added tax must be paid. The standard VAT rate is 19% of the value, but if the investor plans to use the property as their main and permanent place of residence, they may qualify for benefits and pay VAT at a 5% preferential rate.
| Expense item | Investor | Family of four or more people |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate purchase | €300,000+ | €300,000+ |
| VAT Standard rate — 19% For the only primary housing — 5% |
€15,000+ | €15,000+ |
| Legal services | 1% of the transaction amount | 1% of the transaction amount + €500 per additional applicant |
| Administration fees | €500 | €500
+ €500 per child over 18 |
| Registration fees | €70 | €280
+ €70 per family member, starting with the fifth one |
| Fee for a permanent residence card | €70 | €280
+ €70 per family member, starting with the fifth one |
| Total | €318,640+ | €320,060+ |
An investor can buy one or two commercial properties with a total price exceeding €300,000. VAT is paid at 19%. Investors purchase office and shop premises, as well as hotels, on the primary or secondary real estate market.
| Expense item | Investor | Family of four |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate purchase | €300,000+ | €300,000+ |
| VAT Standard rate — 19% | €57,000+ | €57,000+ |
| Legal services | 1% of the transaction amount | 1% of the transaction amount + €500 per additional applicant |
| Administration fees | €500 | €500
+ €500 per child over 18 |
| Registration fees | €70 | €280
+ €70 per family member, starting with the fifth one |
| Fee for a permanent residence card | €70 | €280
+ €70 per family member, starting with the fifth one |
| Total | €360,640+ | €362,060+ |
Applicants invest in units of Cyprus Investment Organization of Collective Investments. Acceptable forms are AIF, AIFLNP, and RAIF. This can involve shares of Cypriot companies or units of local investment funds.
An investor can become a shareholder of a Cypriot company based and operating in the country with at least five employees.
| Expense item | Investor | Family of four |
|---|---|---|
| Investing in: • units of investment funds; • shares of local companies |
€300,000+ | €300,000+ |
| Legal services | 1% of the transaction amount | 1% of the transaction amount
+ €500 per additional applicant |
| Administration fees | €500 | €500
+ €500 per child over 18 |
| Registration fees | €70 | €280
+ €70 per family member, starting with the fifth one |
| Fee for a permanent residence card | €70 | €280
+ €70 per family member, starting with the fifth one |
| Total | €300,640+ | €301,060+ |
Immigrant Invest is an officially licensed agent that works exclusively with government-approved immigration and citizenship programs in the EU and the Caribbean. Their lawyers are members of the IMC, a global organisation for citizenship and residency by investment.
With experience since 2006, the company has deep knowledge of international legal systems, Due Diligence procedures, and effective solutions for clients.
The Immigrant Invest team includes certified Anti-Money Laundering Officers who carry out an initial Due Diligence check, helping to reduce the chance of visa or residence permit rejection to just 1%.
To apply for Cyprus permanent residence, investors must provide the following documents:
In the Immigrant Invest experience, getting Cyprus PR by investment takes at least nine months.
Most steps of obtaining the Cyprus Golden Visa are remote: Immigrant Invest lawyers act on the investor’s behalf when examining real estate, concluding a purchase agreement and applying for residency. The investor must visit Cyprus to take the final steps: submit biometrics and collect permanent residence cards.
Only investors who have passed Due Diligence get Cyprus permanent residence permits. Therefore, thorough preparation and collection of documents are needed.
Immigrant Invest confidentially checks every investor before signing a contract. During the preliminary Due Diligence, our Compliance Department examines information about the investor against international databases and open sources.
As a check result, we provide an assessment, which helps to reduce the rejection risk to 1%.
Immigrant Invest helps open a bank account and solve everyday issues like agreeing with a management company on servicing your property. We also help collect necessary documents, find out where to apply and negotiate terms.
We help collect and submit documents for a card renewal and get the new card
Investors who spend more than 183 days a year in Cyprus become the country’s tax residents. In this case, we will send a request to the Cypriot tax service for registration of the tax residency
We consult on Cypriot banks and help prepare documents for opening an account in the chosen bank
We prepare the required documents and help receive the new card
We help investors’ close relatives prepare documents and apply for permanent residence. Thus, relatives will get residence permits by family reunification
We have a database of Cypriot real estate and check the reliability of developers and properties. An investor can examine a property themselves or choose remotely
Non-EU citizens usually get Cyprus PR after living in the country for 5 years with temporary residence permits. When applying, they provide a title of ownership or a rental agreement for housing in Cyprus, a confirmation of stable income and proof that they paid taxes in the country. The estimated processing time for an application for permanent residence is 6 months.
EU citizens who want to become Cypriot residents and spend more than three months in the country can get Registration Certificates. They are granted for employment in a local company, self-employment activities and studying at Cypriot educational institutions. Besides, financially independent persons or retirees can get Cyprus PR, too.
The application can include relatives proving family relations and dependency on the main applicant. If family members are non-EU citizens, they get temporary 5-year residence permits to live and work in Cyprus. In 5 years, they can extend their temporary permits or get permanent residence.
Applicants must rent or buy a residential property in Cyprus and get health insurance.
Financially independent persons can become Cypriot permanent residents if they prove they have a stable annual income for living in the country without getting employed or running a business. The minimum annual income for a single applicant is €9,568 and at least €4,613 per dependent family member.
Investors who obtain Cyprus permanent residency through the investment program gain the right to live in the country indefinitely and may relocate at any time. Over time, this residency can also serve as a path to full citizenship.
Eligibility for citizenship by naturalisation. After eight years of legal residence in Cyprus, an investor may apply for citizenship by naturalisation. The applicant must have resided in Cyprus continuously for the 12 months immediately preceding the citizenship application. Short absences are allowed during that period, provided they do not exceed 90 days in total.
The applicant must also:
Once the applicant is granted citizenship, they are eligible to sell or withdraw the investments made for permanent residency.
Benefits. Cyprus allows dual citizenship, so foreign nationals are not required to renounce their original nationality if their home country also permits dual citizenship.
A Cypriot passport offers substantial travel and residency advantages:
Learn more about the updates and changes to the Cyprus Golden Visa Program and the nuances of starting a business, choosing a university or living in the country from expert articles in our blog.
