Cypriot citizenship is your direct link with the state, which is expressed in the existence of certain mutual privileges and obligations. Since 1961, the norms for granting this legal status on the island have been regulated by the national law “Ιθαγενείας της Δημοκρατίας της Κύπρου”, which has been amended several times. The immigration policy of the Republic of Cyprus is quite strict. Real chances to naturalize in the country are mainly for wealthy foreigners and those who have family/ethnic ties with the local population.

A Cypriot passport can be issued upon request after a long period of residence in the country as a resident. Accelerated granting of citizenship is provided for highly qualified professionals of interest to the Republic. It is easiest to naturalize investors, large businessmen and immigrants with remote/passive income. Cypriot and EU citizenship can also be obtained by birth/nativity and through marriage. With a local passport you gain many preferences, including visa-free travel around the world, the right to work and business in the EU.

As Cyprus is part of the EU, all EU citizens have the same rights on the island as the local population. You can obtain a passport in another country and immigrate to the Republic with it without additional requirements. Get a detailed free consultation about this from a specialized Immigrantinlaw lawyer.

Methods, terms of processing and cost of obtaining Cypriot citizenship

The conditions and programs for granting Cypriot citizenship have changed several times. For example, an amendment was approved on November 30, 2023, which relaxes the requirements for naturalization for foreigners with high qualifications and their families. This was done in order to attract talented foreign specialists and representatives of scarce professions to the island. For them, naturalization takes from 4-5 years from the date of relocation, while the standard procedure requires a minimum of seven years of sedentary (permanent residence) on the island.

At the end of 2020 also stopped issuing “golden passports” of Cyprus. Now for investment can be issued only the status of permanent resident and then participate in the standard naturalization. Cypriot spouses are entitled to apply for citizenship three years after marriage and cohabitation with their spouse. A passport by “right of blood” is granted immediately, without prior residence on the island.

Citizenship by naturalization

Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship after a long period of residence and integration into the local society. This is the standard path for all foreigners, which looks like this step by step:

1. Obtaining an immigration-type residence permit through a diplomatic mission.
2. Renewal of the residence permit, opening a permanent residence permit at the Department of Civil Registration and Migration 5 years after the move.
3. Submitting an application for citizenship to the regional administration after meeting all conditions.
4. Waiting for a response and receiving a certificate of naturalization.
5. Issuance of national documents (identity card, passport).

To naturalize in Cyprus, it`s necessary to:

• have lived on the island for a minimum of 7 years in the preceding 10-year period, of which 12 months prior to the request have been continuous (maximum total absence of 90 days);
• demonstrate law-abiding behavior, have no criminal convictions for serious crimes, no tax or other debts to the state;
• learn Greek to level B1 or higher and pass a test on the political and socio-cultural knowledge of the country;
• declare your intention to reside in the territory of the Republic in the future;
• have a legal and stable source of livelihood, including support for dependents, and suitable housing (purchased or rented on the island).

The naturalization process must begin by obtaining a temporary or permanent resident card. This can be done on several immigration grounds:

• official employment in a Cypriot company for a long term with proper experience and/or education;
• registration and operation of a business, taking into account the requirements of the field of activity, authorized capital and the needs of the state market;
• reunification with family members who hold a residence card, a Cypriot or European Union passport;
• research or religious activities that require the appropriate level of accreditation and are carried out with the approval of the relevant authorities;
• living as a self-supporting immigrant who receives sufficient and stable income from abroad (for example, from remote work or in the form of dividends, pensions, interest from bank deposits);
• humanitarian reasons, such as refugee status, victim of trafficking or domestic violence, beneficiary of subsidiary or international protection.

Citizenship for highly qualified professionals

Accelerated naturalization is provided for those who reside in Cyprus and work as a highly qualified employee in certain companies regulated by Council of Ministers Regulation No. 92.018. These include shipping, innovation, high-tech, pharmaceutical companies, as well as branches of large international corporations and accredited universities.

To obtain citizenship it is enough to reside in Cyprus for a total of 4 years instead of the standard 7 (5 years - if your Greek language level is A2). The rest of the naturalization requirements remain in force. A highly qualified specialist must have relevant education and/or work experience of at least two years, and receive a salary of at least 2500 EUR per month before taxes.

Cypriot citizenship for investment  

As of 2025, it is impossible to directly buy or obtain Cypriot citizenship for investment in the economy. There are no methods of simplified naturalization for large investors, businessmen, financially independent persons. However, these categories of applicants can immediately apply for permanent residence in the republic instead of a temporary residence permit, which greatly facilitates immigration. The status is valid indefinitely, once in 10 years it is necessary to renew only the resident card itself, if by this time you have not yet issued a national passport.

Investors in Cyprus must invest in the economy from 300 thousand EUR to formalize permanent residence. It is allowed to buy real estate, share capital (including its expansion) of local companies, shares of collective investment organizations. It is also necessary to have from 50 000 EUR for self-support, from 15 000 EUR - for a legal partner and from 10 000 EUR for each of the children.

Citizenship through marriage

Spouses and de facto cohabitants of Cypriot citizens can obtain a passport after 3 years of marriage. A minimum of 24 months of which must be spent on the island as a resident or all 36 months with the husband/wife abroad. Applications in such cases are made within the country or through consulates/embassies in other countries.

Naturalization through marriage does not require you to pass language and integration exams, demonstrate income level, or have a place to live on the island. It is sufficient to have no criminal record, to fill in a declaration that your family union is not fictitious and to provide civil status certificates. The state fee in this case is 300 EUR instead of 500 EUR in the standard procedure.

Citizenship by birth/descent

A Cypriot passport is issued to those who have at least one parent who has or had during his/her lifetime a local citizenship or is entitled to one. It does not matter how old the applicant is at the time of application or in which country he/she was born. The “right of soil” does not apply in the country. A child born on the island to a foreign family does not automatically acquire Cypriot citizenship, but inherits it from the mother/father in case of naturalization.

If you want a Cypriot passport for the sake of visa and economic freedom, consider the simpler, faster and more affordable alternative - acquiring EU citizenship through an accelerated procedure. A number of EU states issue a passport 4-12 months after application, without having to open a residence permit, learn the language or invest in the economy. Find out more information from an international law specialist at Immigrantinlaw.

Issuance of a Cypriot passport

According to the Civil Registration Law, all Cypriot citizens over the age of 12 are required to have a national identity card. The document looks like an electronic eID card made of plastic with biometric data of the holder, his photo and basic information. The validity of the internal passport is 10 years for adults and 5 years for minors. The eID card complies with Regulation (EU) 2019/1157 of the European Parliament and is used to prove your identity within the association.

You can also obtain a Cyprus passport for traveling abroad at the same time as your ID card. It has a burgundy cover, a plastic page with your details and basic information, and paper pages for visas. The passport is also issued for 10 years for adult applicants. For both documents, you will need a birth certificate and a naturalization certificate.

The process of obtaining a Cypriot passport (internal and travel) is as follows:

1. Making an appointment at the district administration or the CES (Centers for Population Services).
2. Submitting an application together with the documents, undergoing photo and fingerprinting procedures.
3. Waiting for a decision (the standard term for processing documents is from 2 to 10 working days).
4. Receiving the finished passport/s in person at the Department of Immigration headquarters.

The table below summarizes the possible costs for those who plan to apply for the status of a Cypriot citizen.

Required documents

When applying for citizenship in Cyprus as a standard procedure, you will need:

• a personally completed application form of a standard sample;
• a receipt of the administrative fee for the processing of the request;
• birth, marriage or divorce certificates (if applicable);
• a valid passport for travel abroad or similar identification document;
• a certificate of no criminal record, issued in the country of origin for a maximum of six months prior to the submission of the request;
• copy of a current resident card;
• proof of knowledge of Greek at level B1 (A2 in some cases);
• certificate of successful completion of an examination on the current political and social life of the state;
• proof of residence on the island, for example, rental or purchase agreement;
• proof of financial security - bank statement, income certificate or other;
• two recent passport-sized photos.

Sample of the application can be found on the official website of the Ministry of Interior or the Department of Civil Registry and Migration of Cyprus. All documents submitted must have an official translation in Greek or English, if applicable. They may also need to be apostilled or super-legalized (depending on your current citizenship).

Highly qualified professionals must also provide a certificate stating that they have been employed by a Cypriot company from the list of Council of Ministers Regulation no. 92.018 for a minimum of 24 months. If you wish, you can also pay a fee of 5000 EUR for the accelerated processing of your citizenship application (maximum 8 months).

Individual selection of immigration program

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Second citizenship of Cyprus

Cyprus does not require foreigners, including naturalized ones, to renounce their passport in their home country when applying for a local document. This will be considered as a second or multiple citizenship for you. Within each of your countries of citizenship, you need to use the appropriate passport, including for border crossings. Abroad, you can present the document you consider as the best (e.g., for visa-free travel in Europe). Cyprus has not concluded treaties on mutual recognition of dual citizenship for 2025 with any state.

Denial to grant a citizenship

Cypriot citizenship will not be granted to those who provide false information about themselves or conceal important details of biography. For example, in 2024, 77 passports of foreign investors were canceled for this reason. Refusals are often happened due to an incorrect dossier - documents are missing, incorrectly translated or not properly executed. An application is rejected if you do not pass a security check, for example, because of a criminal record or dubious connections. You can challenge the decision in court, but the chances of success are minimal.

Advantages of Cypriot citizenship

You can obtain a passport in Cyprus to conduct labor or commercial activities within the state and throughout the European Union, and to obtain the following privileges:

• visiting more than 160 states without applying for visas at diplomatic missions;
• participation in various EU programs, e.g., international tenders, grants for businessmen;
• the possibility to pass on the status of EU citizen to one's descendants without additional conditions;
• the right to state assistance in case of need, e.g., for representation abroad or application for benefits;
• purchase of real estate and land in the territory of the European Union on favorable terms not available to foreigners;
• obtaining prestigious education in prestigious universities (the same opportunity is available for your children);
• representation of business interests in the country and abroad, including cooperation with partners from different parts of the world;
• change of tax residency to reduce the financial burden (for example, profit tax for companies here is only 10%);
• access to a developed health care system on the basis of a unified EU medical insurance.

The same rights and preferences are available to citizens of other European Union countries. Immigrantinlaw's international law specialists help with professional analysis of your background and finding a personalized way to quickly apply for a second EU passport without large capital investments. You can book a consultation right now and obtain citizenship in less than a year.

Assistance in applying for Cypriot citizenship

In order to guarantee a second passport in an EU country, it is worth enlisting professional legal assistance. Cooperation with specialists in the field of international law will allow you to find the optimal program for quick and easy obtaining the desired citizenship, taking into account your interests. Immigrantinlaw's specialized lawyers select personalized solutions for each client, and accompany them at every stage of the procedure from preparation of documents to the interview with the representative of the authorities.

Migration specialists will organize the move for permanent residence in the developed countries of the European Union in the shortest possible time and without large investments. You can also apply for a passport with legal support for other purposes, for example, to travel freely around the world, cooperate with foreign companies or give a good education to your children without paying tuition fees. In this case, you will not have to understand the international legislation and peculiarities of immigration procedures on your own.

Feedback from foreigners who have obtained a second citizenship of Cyprus

Immigrants who have already settled in Cyprus report that the procedure for obtaining citizenship here is quite complicated. You have to wait for naturalization for at least 7 years - this is longer than in some other EU countries. Despite the fact that English is considered the official language on the island, you still need to take the exam in Greek, which has a peculiar structure and is not very easy to master. The state regularly tightens the rules of migration, giving the opportunity of permanent residence mainly to wealthy foreigners or those who have relatives among the locals.

Requests for citizenship of Cyprus are considered for quite a long time - on average about a year. The list of requirements to the applicant is not insignificant, including payment of taxes in the state and the presence of a permanent source of income. Also, from the reviews you can learn about the frequent cases of refusals to obtain residency, which results in the cancellation of the period of residence in the country, required for naturalization. Immigrants recommend dealing with citizenship issues together with specialized professionals to maximize the chances of success.

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About the author

Diana Weber

Lawyer of international law

Diane Weber is an international law specialist with 10 years of legal practice experience. Her portfolio includes successful stories of citizenship in different European Union countries under simplified procedures. Diana provides detailed advice and helps many people to achieve their immigration goals in a short period of time, including resolving visa issues, assisting in obtaining residence permits and citizenship in the EU countries. In her blog, Diana Weber enjoys providing readers with detailed information about the features of most popular programs for obtaining a second passport.