Law Center 
Symeon Pogosian

TEMPORARY RESIDENTIAL PERMIT FOR NON – EU NATIONALS (VISITOR)

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Status “Visitor” will allow you to legally reside in Cyprus for more than 90 days. It will not permit you to engage in any business or employment activity, because one of the most important requirements is a proof of the sufficient income from abroad.

 

The following documents are required:

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1. Copy of valid passport or other travel document with validity of at least three (3) months from the date of the submission of the application

2. Original letter of guarantee from a banking institution the Republic of Cyprus, with a duration of ten (10) years, to cover possible repatriation expenses in the name of the applicant from his/her own bank account. The amount depends on the country of origin.

3. The statement and swift transactions reports from the bank account in the Republic of Cyprus proving that the funds have been transferred from abroad

4. Title deed or contract of sale or a rental agreement duly certified and where needed, with a stamp duty payment proof

5. Evidence that the applicant has sufficient and stable resources, as analyzed below, derived from a stable or satisfactory income of the applicant outside the Republic. Income includes salary, pension, deposits in a bank account abroad, rents, dividends, interest on deposits or by exception from dividends from a company in the Republic (with certification by the Company's Accountant that he does not receive any salary from his position) or rents in the Republic , or from income in his bank account in the Republic from a salary from his previous work in a company of foreign interests.

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As from 01/01/2023, the new rules have been applied, meaning that now the applicants should prove the stable monthly salary, which should be amounted to EUR 2000 being transferred to their account every month to form EUR 24.000 per year for renewal purposes. To be noted, for the first permit registration EUR 10.000 is acceptable transferred from abroad or in cash if it has a declaration from the airport.

 

The additional following documents are listed below:

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1. Original medical examination certificate of blood tests, proving that the third-country national does not suffer from hepatitis B, and C, HIV, syphilis, as well as a chest X-ray for tuberculosis with a doctor's opinion, stamped by a specialist doctor from the Republic of Cyprus ONLY for the 1st Permit. To be noted, for the children it is enough to undergo only blood tests and mantu ( skin examination) whereas for the children before 6 years old no medical examination is required.

2. Original Clear Criminal Record Certificate from the country of origin or residence, if the applicant resides in a country other than the country of origin, with a duly certified official translation in Greek or English ONLY for the 1st Permit.

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For any additional inquiries regarding the procedure and/or documents, please do not hesitate to contact us via our email: symeon@pogosian.lawyer or via +357 25 255051

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CATEGORY 6.2 ( ACCELERATED CATEGORY)

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This Immigration Permit is considered as a permanent residential permit in the Republic of Cyprus allowing the applicant to legally reside for unlimited period of time without a need to renew the visa. The only requirement is that the holder of 6.2 category should visit Cyprus at least once every 2 years. The spouse and the children of the applicant can obtain the permanent residency, even if a child of the applicant is 25 years providing that he can prove that he is financially dependent on the person.

 

The applicant must invest at least €300,000 (plus VAT) in one of the following investment categories:

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(A) Investment in a house/apartment: Purchase of a house or apartment from a development company, which should concern a first sale of at least €300,000 (plus VAT).

(B) Investment in real estate (excluding houses/apartments): Purchase of other types of real estate such as offices, shops, hotels or related estate developments or a combination of these with a total value of €300,000. The purchase of interest can be the result of a resale.

(C) Investment in Cyprus Company’s share capital, with business activities and personnel in the Republic: Investment worth €300,000 in the share capital of a company registered in the Republic of Cyprus, based and operating in the Republic of Cyprus and having a proven physical presence in Cyprus and employing at least five (5) people.

(D) Investment in units of Cyprus Investment Organisation of Collective Investments (forms of AIF, AIFLNP, RAIF): Investment worth €300,000 in units of Cyprus Investment Organisation Collective Investments.

 

The following documents are required for the submission of application:

 

1. Copy of valid passport of the applicant and his dependants.

2. Curriculum Vitae.

3. Declaration of a secured annual income from abroad or/and the Republic, depending on the chosen investment criterion, of €30.000 at least (original documents and affidavit or declaration).

4. Documents proving that the capital used for the investment has been transferred to Cyprus from abroad (i.e. bank transfer).

5. Official Statements by the applicant and his/her spouse that they do not intent to undertake any sort of employment in Cyprus, with the exception of their employment as a Director in a Company in which they have invested according to the provisions of the criteria for granting an Immigration Permit to third country nationals who invest in Cyprus.

6. Title of ownership or contract of sale and proof of payment of the property or rental agreement (original or true copy), for investments according to criteria (B), (C) and (D).

7. Original Criminal Record Certificate for the applicant and his/her spouse, duly certified and officially translated (if the applicant resides abroad, the certificate must be issued from his/her country of residence).

8. Marriage Certificate duly certified and officially translated (original or certified copy).

9. Children’s Birth Certificates dully certified and officially translated (original or certified copy).

 

For any additional inquiries regarding the procedure and/or documents, please do not hesitate to contact us via our email: symeon@pogosian.lawyer or via +357 25 255051

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CATEGORY F ( PERMANENT RESIDENCY)

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Please note that as from 2019, the new applications are accepted by the Immigration Department but are not issued at this stage due to a further notice and examination.

 

Category F: Persons who possess and have fully and freely at their disposal a secured annual income, high enough to give them a decent living in Cyprus, without having to engage in any business, trade or profession. The annual income required should be at least €9568,17 (CY£5,600) for a single applicant and moreover at least €4613,22 (CY£2,700) for every dependent person, but the Immigration Control Board may demand additional amounts as necessary. Most applicants come under this Category, the majority of them being pensioners or retired persons. Category F does not grant the right to engage in any employment or business activity but allows the applicant to become a shareholder in his own company or a not remunerated director.

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It is important to note that those who apply for Category F, should have a valid temporary residential permit to stay in the Republic of Cyprus and they are obliged to renew it while the reviewing and examination process of Category F is active due to the fact that it could take from 18-24 months for the result of examination to be announced.

 

The following documents are required:

 

1. Copy of valid passport

2. Copy of valid temporary residence permit (if the applicant resides in Cyprus)

3. C.V (including academic qualifications)

4. Income tax returns for all years (original or true copy), if applies

5. Statement of Social Insurance Contributions for the previous year (original or true copy), if applies

6. Bank Statements in original

7. Income declaration from sources other than employment (original documents and affidavit)

8. Title of ownership or rental agreement (original or true copy). If the title of ownership has not been obtained yet, the applicant must submit the deed of sale and proof of payment.

9. Health Insurance Policy

10. Criminal Record Certificate (if the applicant resides abroad, official translation duly validated from his country)

11. Marriage Certificate (official translation duly validated)

12. Children’s Birth Certificates (official translation duly validated)

 

For any additional inquiries regarding the procedure and/or documents, please do not hesitate to contact us via our email: symeon@pogosian.lawyer or via +357 25 255051

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OTHER IMMIGRATION PERMITS

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Category A: Persons who intend to work as self employed in agriculture, cattle breeding, bird breeding or fish culture in the Republic, provided that they have in their possession adequate land or a permit to acquire same, they have fully and freely at their disposal capital of approximately €430,000 (CY£250,000) and such an employment should not negatively affect the general economy of the Republic.

 

Category B: Persons who intend to work as self employed in mining enterprises in the Republic, provided that they have in their possession a relative permit, they have fully and freely at their disposal capital of approximately €350,000 (CY£200,000) and such an employment should not negatively affect the general economy of the Republic.

 

Category C: Persons who intend to work as self employed in a trade or profession in the Republic, provided that they have in their possession a

relative permit, they have fully and freely at their disposal capital of approximately €260,000 (CY£150,000) and such an employment should not affect negatively the general economy of the Republic.

 

Category D: Persons who intend to work as self employed in a profession or science in the Republic, provided that they have academic or professional qualifications, for which there is demand in Cyprus. Possession of adequate funds is also necessary.

 

Category E: Persons who have been offered permanent employment in the Republic, which will not create undue local competition.

 

For any additional inquiries regarding the procedure and/or documents, please do not hesitate to contact us via our email: symeon@pogosian.lawyer or via +357 25 255051

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CYPRUS CITIZENSHIP

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The most two common ways of applying for Cyprus citizenship are the following: naturalisation scheme based on the years of residence and marriage. To note, by way of the marriage, the spouse should be in a legal and recognised marriage with Cypriot for 3 (three)years to be eligible to apply and in case of children or parents of Cypriot citizens, the time period is 5 (five) years. It is important to note that application for Cyprus citizenship can be submitted by foreigners, who have completed a total of 7 years of legal residence in Cyprus (2555 days of staying in Cyprus) before the application date. The applicant must have resided continuously, meaning without any interruptions in Cyprus through the last 1 year before applying.

 

To apply for Cyprus citizenship by the way of naturalisation, the following documents are requested:

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1. Birth certificate

2. Criminal record

3. Marriage certificate

4. Copies of all the pages of all the passports of the applicant showing arrivals and departures to Cyprus

5. List of arrivals and departures

6. Newspaper advertisements in two consecutive publications which mention that the applicant has filed an application for naturalization

7. Two passport size photographs stamped by local Muhtar

8. CV and work certificate if applicable

9. The relevant application form completed, containing the declarations from Cypriot citizens in the support of the applicant to receive the citizenship.

 

To apply for Cyprus citizenship by the way of marriage, the following documents are required:

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1. Birth certificate of the applicant

2. Certificate of the clean criminal record of the applicant

3. Marriage certificate

4. Birth certificate of the couple’s children if applicable

5. Photocopy of the applicant’s passport

6. Photocopy of the Cypriot spouse’s passport

7. Certificate of acquisition of the Cypriot citizenship of the Cypriot spouse (where applicable)

8. Statement of harmonious living signed before an Officer of the District Administration Office or the diplomatic authority

9. Statement of cohabitation from the local authority

10. The application should be submitted in duplicate and one of the two application forms should bear stamps worth 8.54 euros

 

For any additional inquiries regarding the procedure and/or documents, please do not hesitate to contact us via our email: symeon@pogosian.lawyer or via +357 25 255051

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YELLOW SLIP OR RESIDENTIAL PERMIT FOR EU CITIZENS

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By virtue of the European Union Law, the EU Citizens are allowed to reside in the Republic of Cyprus for three months without applying for any residential permits and are not required to have any type of visa to enter Cyprus. The residential permit, known as Yellow Slip, is not required to be renewed and given for a lifetime purposes. However, after three months they are obligated to register in the Immigration Department. There are two ways to register for EU citizen: by way of employment or self employment or as a person with sufficient funds and source of income with a health insurance policy in the Republic of Cyprus as not to become a burden on the local social security and medical system.

 

In order to apply for the issuance of Yellow Slip without having an employment or being self – employed in the Republic of Cyprus, the following documents are required:

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1. Fixed or adequate income from employment outside the Republic; or

2. Fixed or adequate income from other legal sources; or

3. Adequate deposits in financial institutions in the Republic or abroad; and

4. Proof of comprehensive health insurance in the Republic.

5. Duly certified rental agreement or contract of sale or title deed

6. Transferred on the name of applicant utility bills

 

In order to apply for the issuance of Yellow Slip by the way of employment or self – employment, the following documents are requested:

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1. Social Insurance Statement for, at least, of 2 months of contributions

2. Valid employment agreement or in case of a self – employment,

 

Certificate of Registration to the Social Securities Services as self-employed.

 

1. Employment confirmation from the employer

2. Certified rental agreement with the transferred utility bills on the name of the applicant

3. Valid original passport and the copy

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For any additional inquiries regarding the procedure and/or documents or family reunification of EU members, please do not hesitate to contact

us via our email: symeon@pogosian.lawyer or via +357 25 255051

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EMPLOYEES AT INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES (COMPANIES WITH FOREIGN INTERESTS)

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To note importantly, in order to proceed with hiring and legally relocating the employees from third country, the company needs to have a license of an officially registered entity with foreign interest.

 

Before the arrival of the person to the Republic of Cyprus and issuance of the entry permit for the employee, the following documents are required:

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1. Copy of a valid passport or other travel document, the validity of which, on the date of submission of the application, expires at least six (6) months after the validity of the requested permit (Minimum acceptable document expiration period: 12 months).

2. Brief Curriculum Vitae - CV (including copies of academic qualifications and/or relevant professional experience of at least two years).

3. Contract copy, of at least two years of duration, dully signed. If the contract refers to the practice of a regulated profession, documents must be submitted certifying that the conditions laid down in Cypriot law for the exercise of this profession are met.

4. Employer declaration for covering the return cost of the third country national.

5. Original results of medical tests conducted abroad, showing that the third country national does not bear/suffer from HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis B and C and Tuberculosis – TB (through chest x-ray). Ratification is necessary, except in the presence of a bilateral state agreements providing for an exception.

6. Original Certificate of Criminal Record from the country of origin (if the applicant resides in a country other than the country of origin, the certificate should be issued from the country of residence). Ratification is necessary, except in the presence of a bilateral state agreements providing for an exception.

7. Receipt of payment of the annual company fee to the Registrar of Companies.

8. Once the Entry permit is issued and the applicant arrives in the Republic of Cyprus, he is obliged to obtain his residential permit and his Alien Registration Certificate (ARC) within two months after the arrival.

 

The following documents are required after the arrival:

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1. Original Entry Permit (M70).

2. Copy of the passport's or other travel document's page, showing the latest arrival in the Republic. When submitting the application, the presentation of the original passport is mandatory, for verification.

3. Original contract of employment, of at least two years of duration, dully signed and stamped, as well as two (2) copies of the stamped original contact, also dully stamped.

4. Note: the minimum gross monthly salary for highly skilled employment is set at €2500. Below this limit, employment is considered to be at support level and a contract must be dully stamped by the Department of Labor.

5. Original results of medical tests, performed in Cyprus, showing that the third country national does not bear/suffer from HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis B and C and Tuberculosis - TB (through chest x-ray), certified from a Specialised Doctor in Cyprus.

6. Title deed or rental agreement of a house/apartment, dully stamped if valued over €5000.

7. Valid Certificate of Health Insurance for medical care that covers inpatient and outpatient care as well as transportation of corpse (Plan A), automatically renewable, OR Registration Certificate in the General Healthcare System (GHS – GESY) and private insurance for transportation of corpse.

8. Employer ́s liability insurance with an automatic renewal.

 

For the employees in the companies of foreign interests, who wish to proceed with family reunification, the different documents are applied depending on whether the person is a spouse or a dependent child or a parent.

 

For any additional inquiries regarding the procedure and/or documents and/or the family reunification with the family members of international employees, please do not hesitate to contact us via our email: symeon@pogosian.lawyer or via +357 25 255051

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DIGITAL NOMAD VISA

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The "Cyprus Digital Nomad Visa" Scheme allows nationals from non-EU and non-EEA countries, who can perform their work location-independently using telecommunications technology, to reside temporarily in Cyprus and work for an employer registered abroad or perform work through telecommunications technology for companies or clients located abroad.

 

Within 3 months of arrival, the applicant should submit the relevant application along with the required documents, as stated in the relevant document lists, at the Offices of the Department in Nicosia, after arranging an appointment through the online platform, to obtain a temporary residence permit. All documents accompanying application forms should be officially translated and duly certified/ ratified.

 

The following documents are required to apply for the digital nomad visa:

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1. Copy of valid passport or other travel document with validity of at least three (3) months from the date of the submission of the application.

2. Copy of passport or other travel document page that shows the last entry in the Republic.

3. For employees working for a company registered abroad: Employment contract of indefinite duration or of at least equal duration to the requested residence permit. Employer’s confirmation that the applicant can perform his/her duties remotely and that the project / work does not concern activity or provision of services to an employer registered in Cyprus, Duly stamped copy of the company’s registration certificate abroad, stating the legal name, registered base, activity field and corporate purpose of the company Information on the status of the applicant in the company. OR For self-employment:

4. Contract(s) of project or of services with a duration of at least equal to the requested residence permit. Confirmation by the applicant that (s)he can perform his duties remotely and that the project does not concern activity or provision of services to a client established in Cyprus.

5. Evidence that the applicant has sufficient and stable monthly living resources amounting to at least €3500, after the deduction of contributions and taxes, from: proof of salary payment showing the net income *, and bank account (detailed bank statements of the last 6 months that prove the existence of a stable and satisfactory income outside the Republic).

6. Note: The above amount is increased by 20% for the spouse or partner and by 15% for each child. In cases where there is no proof of net income, an Affirmation is required according to which the applicant will certify that his/her net income, after the deduction of contributions and taxes on the income presented in the submitted documents, is not less than the minimum amount required on the basis of the defined income criteria.

7. Original Certificate of Criminal Record from the country of origin (if the applicant resides in a country other than the country of origin, the certificate should be issued from the country of residence).

8. Original blood analysis results showing that the applicant does not bear/suffer from HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C and chest x-rays for tuberculosis (TB), duly certified by a specialised Doctor.

9. Certificate of Health Insurance for medical care that covers inpatient and outpatient care and transportation of corpse (Plan A).

10. Title deed or rental agreement of a house/apartment, duly stamped if valued over €5000.

11. Affirmation to which the applicant will commit that (s)he or his/her family members will not provide work or services or project in any way to an employer or clients established in Cyprus.

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For any additional inquiries regarding the procedure and/or documents, please do not hesitate to contact us via our email: symeon@pogosian.lawyer or via +357 25 255051