Tax residency vs. Permanent residency.
Not the same thing.

Most people confuse these two. They’re separate programmes with very different purposes — and for the right client, you want both.

Tax Residency (60-Day Rule)

  • Spend 60 days/year in Cyprus
  • Zero investment required — rent a flat
  • 0% tax on dividends, 8% flat on crypto gains
  • Non-dom status for 17 years
  • Must be maintained every tax year
  • No EU freedom of movement document
  • No path to citizenship
  • Does not cover your family

Permanent Residency (PR Programme)

  • €300k property investment, one time
  • Physical EU permit card — permanent & unconditional
  • Only 1 day every 2 years to maintain
  • Covers spouse, children, both sets of parents
  • EU citizenship eligible after 8 years
  • Approved in approximately 2 months
  • No language test, no medical, no interview
  • Valid forever — even for grown children

The smart move: Use tax residency (60-day rule) to optimise your tax position from year one. Add the PR programme when you’re ready to lock in a permanent EU base for your family. Many clients do both — they serve different purposes.

What permanent residency
actually gives you.

Forever

Permit valid indefinitely — no renewal, no expiry, no conditions after approval

7 Years

Path to Cypriot & EU citizenship for you and qualifying family members

Whole Family

Covers spouse, children up to 25, and both sets of parents under one application

1 Day / 2yr

Minimum presence to maintain the permit — one brief visit every two years

All Nations

Open to all nationalities — no restriction on country of origin

~2 Months

Typical approval timeline from application submission to issued permit

No Exam

No language requirements, no medical exams, no interviews required

Schengen

Permit holders can typically obtain a Schengen visa within one week

Low investment. Zero tax on
the property you buy.

The €300k investment doesn’t just unlock residency — the property itself comes with tax advantages that make it a strong financial decision in its own right.

0%

Inheritance Tax

Cyprus property passes to your heirs completely tax-free

0%

Immovable Property Tax

No annual property tax on Cyprus real estate

0%

Transfer Fee

Zero transfer fee when the purchase is subject to VAT

5%

Reduced VAT

5% VAT rate available on your first Cyprus residential property

The minimum qualifying investment is €300,000 net of VAT in new residential property, commercial real estate, Cyprus company shares, or approved investment funds. Applicants must also demonstrate annual income of at least €50,000 from abroad (plus €15,000 for a spouse and €10,000 per dependent child).

One application.
Your entire family covered.

The Cyprus PR programme is one of the most generous in Europe for family inclusion — extending well beyond a spouse and minor children.

Spouse

Automatically included in the application at no additional investment

Children up to 25

Dependent children, including those in full-time education abroad

Adult children who studied in Cyprus

Children over 25 who completed their studies in Cyprus also qualify

Both sets of parents

The investor’s parents and the spouse’s parents are both eligible

Permits valid forever

Even after children become independent, their permits remain permanently valid

EU citizenship pathway

After 8 years, the whole family becomes eligible to apply for EU citizenship

How it works.
Five straightforward steps.

Your physical presence is not required at every stage. A lawyer can handle the application on your behalf once the property purchase is complete.

1

Purchase qualifying property

Acquire residential or commercial property at a minimum of €300,000 net of VAT. The purchase can be made with cash, mortgage, or cryptocurrency — subject to standard AML/KYC requirements. A Sales Agreement is signed and registered with the Cyprus Land Registry.

Typically 2–4 weeks
2

Submit application (Form MIP1)

Your lawyer submits Form MIP1 to the Civil Registry and Migration Department on your behalf. You do not need to be present in Cyprus for this. Required documents include proof of purchase, proof of income, a clean criminal record, and valid health insurance.

1–2 weeks to prepare
3

Ministry of Interior review

The Ministry reviews and processes the application. The typical timeline from submission to approval is approximately two months. No interview or in-person meeting is required at any stage.

~2 months
4

Approval notification issued

Once approved, the Ministry notifies you in writing. You then have one year to visit Cyprus and collect your physical permit card. All family members included in the application collect their cards at the same time.

Up to 1 year to collect
5

Collect your permit — done

Visit Cyprus once to collect your permanent residency cards. After that, you only need to visit once every two years to keep the permit active. Your family’s EU base is secured, permanently.

Then just 1 day every 2 years

Ready to secure your
family’s EU future?

Book a free consultation. We’ll walk through qualifying investment options, your family’s eligibility, and how to structure everything from purchase to permit.