RESIDENCE AND EMPLOYMENT PERMITS IN CYPRUS

Cyprus with its warm and stable climate and convenient geographical position is considered as an attractive place for residence and employment. Residence and employment in Cyprus are governed by the Aliens and Immigration legislation of Cyprus (Alien and Immigration Law Chapter 105 of the Laws as amended; Alien and Immigration Regulation KDP 242/72 of 22.12.1972 as amended).

Entry

The requirements for visa vary depending on the nationality of each foreigner. EU citizens pass the so-called face and passport control without receiving an entry stamp at their passport. Other nationals are required to secure their entry visa prior to arrival in Cyprus at the Embassy of Cyprus at their country. All other nationals receive the official stamp that witnesses their arrival.

The entry visa is usually given from one to four weeks depending on the case. The visa can be extended up to three month by submitting the required documents to the District Aliens and Immigration Office.

Residence Permit

A. Temporary Residence Permit

An alien may request for the issue of the temporary residence permit for the purpose of holidays, tour around the island and for the search of a possible temporary or permanent settlement in Cyprus.

To receive a residence permit in Cyprus an alien resident must fulfill one of the following requirements:

- Property in Cyprus (holiday house).
- Disposition of secured annual income

In some cases the Immigration Officer may secure a permit for an alien if he has stable and secured income from abroad.

It may be his pension, dividends from investments, interest from deposits, etc.

Alien students/pupils

Pupil permits for aliens are granted for attending registered secondary and primary educational institutes. In these cases the applications are submitted by the educational Establishment the aliens will attend. Such a permit is subject to be issued for a specific educational institute and a change of the institute means an abolishment of the existing permit and an obligation to obtain a new one.


Other cases of the temporary residence permit

Any person that permanently or temporarily stays in Cyprus or has a work permit may invite close members of his (her) family to stay together with him (her) and apply for the temporary residence permit for them. The document that must be presented to the District Aliens and Immigration Office are the work and/or residence permit and a bank letter of guarantee. An immigration officer may require additional information in each separate case.

B. Permanent Residence Permit.

In order to settle in Cyprus permanently an alien may apply to the Chief Immigration Officer, Nicosia, Cyprus by submission of application form M.67. In accordance with the Regulation 5 of the Alien and Immigration Regulations of 1972 an alien person must belong to one of the following Categories:

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 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 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 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.

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 CY£3,800 for a single applicant and moreover at least CY£1,800 for every dependent person, but the Immigration Control Board may demand additional amounts as necessary.

Most applicants come under this Category F, the majority of them being pensioners or retired persons. If the application is finally approved an alien will not be allowed to engage in any form of business profession or occupation, whether paid or unpaid while residing in Cyprus and will have to support himself(herself) and all his(her) family from his(her) own income.

If the application is finally approved by the Civil Registry and Migration Department of Nicosia and the permanent residence permit is granted an alien receives an official stamp to his(her) passport and is not obliged to renew his(her) residence permit annually.

Cyprus has recently implemented The Directive of the European Union 2003/109/EC, which says that migrants who live in Cyprus for five years, legally and continuously, are entitled for permanent residence permit.

The Directive was published on 23 January 2004 and since 23 January 2006 is in force in Cyprus.