Buying property in Cyprus can give you permanent residency. Not citizenship — it is important to be clear about that from the start. Here is how residency by investment works and how it can be lost.
The essentials in a minute
- Residency under Regulation 6(2) requires €300,000 invested in property, a company or a fund.
- A decision takes about two months and the status is permanent.
- You need proven foreign income of at least €50,000 a year.
- Cyprus does not grant citizenship for investment. A passport is granted only by descent, marriage, naturalisation or for services to the Republic.
Four ways to invest €300,000
A. Residential property. A house or apartment from a developer, first sale only. From €300,000 plus VAT. Up to two residential units, including from different developers. Resale property does not qualify.
B. Commercial property. Offices, shops, hotels and similar, totalling at least €300,000. Resale is allowed.
C. Company shares. €300,000 in the share capital of a Cypriot company with a real office on the island and at least five employees.
D. Investment fund units. €300,000 in units of Cypriot AIF, AIFLNP or RAIF funds.
The investment must be kept for as long as the status is held.
Income required
| Who | Annual income |
|---|---|
| Applicant | €50,000 |
| Spouse | + €15,000 |
| Each child under 18 | + €10,000 |
| Each student aged 18–25 | + €10,000 |
With the residential option, the income must come from abroad — a tax return from your country of residence or a statement from an independent certified accountant. Income is checked at application; there is no need to confirm it every year.
Where the money must come from
- a transfer from abroad from the account of the applicant, spouse or their company;
- payment to the seller’s account with a Cypriot bank;
- loans from Cypriot banks do not count as a source of the investment;
- at least €300,000 excluding VAT must be paid, regardless of the completion date.
Fees and timelines
- application fee — €500;
- alien registration card — €70 per family member;
- processing — about 2 months from submission of a complete file;
- the status does not need renewing; an adult’s card is replaced every 10 years.
Every year you confirm the investment is maintained and hold medical insurance (if the family does not use GESY); every three years you provide a clean criminal record certificate.
When the status is lost
- Selling the investment without replacing it with one of equal or greater value.
- Being absent from Cyprus for two consecutive years.
- Obtaining permanent residency in another country.
- The family not settling in Cyprus within a year of approval.
Holders may not be employed — except as a director of the company in which the investment was made. Holding shares and receiving dividends is allowed.
If you don’t have €300,000
There is Category F residency for people living on passive income from abroad (the processing queue takes years), and EU long-term resident status after five years of legal residence.
We select properties that meet Regulation 6(2) and check in advance that the payment will comply with the rules.
For reference only, based on official gov.cy sources for 2026. This is not legal advice.