How to stay in Cyprus for more than 90 days. Legal options explained

Picture this — you have got your short-stay or tourist visa, arrived in Cyprus and realised that you are falling in love with the island... So much so that you want to stay here much longer than the officially granted 90 days. And you start wondering if there's anything you could do to stay here legally. In fact, there are many visa options for both temporary and permanent residence. We have made it easier for you and compiled this guide on Cyprus residency options. You will learn about various Cyprus temporary residence visas, as well as permanent residence pathways: from costly to budget-savvy, already existing and new immigration permit categories — all the information at your fingertips. Let's get into it!

Student visa

Studying in Cyprus could be an excellent choice for those who want to get an internationally recognised degree whilst staying on a beautiful Mediterranean island. Recently, Cyprus’s universities have really put themselves on the map with state-of-the-art facilities, reputable professors and educational innovation. The tuition fees are also quite reasonable, starting from 6,000—7,000 euro p/a. Plus, there's a number of scholarships available even for non-EU students.

Applying for a visa

If you're outside Cyprus you must obtain a student entry permit before coming to the island. And, within the 7 days of your arrival you must apply for a temporary residence permit at the Migration Office in Cyprus. When approved you will receive your temporary residency permit.

Requirements:

1. Acceptance letter from the university
2. Passport
3. Certified copies of academic qualifications
4. Proof of financial means to support your life and studies in Cyprus or proof of scholarship grant (if applicable)
5. Medical certificate
6. Police clearance
7. Proof of accommodation — a rental agreement or letter from the university, if staying on-campus
8. English proficiency test (TOEFL or IELTS) if your course is in English.

Special conditions

— Initially, your Cyprus temporary residence permit is issued for 1 year and can be renewed annually for the whole duration of your studies.

— This visa allows full-time students to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week during their studies and full-time during semester breaks. However, the industry sectors the students are allowed to work in are quite limited.

— The students have a right to stay in Cyprus for 12 months after finishing their course — so they can look for employment or start a business.

Start-up scheme

This recently introduced temporary Cyprus visa is aimed at fostering innovation in Cyprus. Even the non-EU students are able to participate in this scheme and many start-up incubators are available on campuses of most reputable Cyprus universities. The start-up visa allows non-EU entrepreneurs to establish their start-up business in Cyprus, providing them with a temporary residency permit and work rights. The applications are open for sole applicants as well as for teams for up to 5 people. The initial permit is issued for 3 years with the possibility for renewal for another 2 years.

Applying for a visa

First of all, you must submit your business plan and visa application to the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation & Digital Policy via email. If accepted, you will receive a letter of «Notification of Initial Approval». After that you may apply for an entry permit at your nearest Cyprus consulate. Upon your arrival in Cyprus you can apply for your temporary residence and a work permit at the Migration Department.

Requirements

1. The applicant must prepare a detailed business plan as per guidelines.
2. The minimum project investment must be over 10,000 euros, or at least 20,000 if you apply as a team of more than 2.
3. Founders must hold at least 25% of company equity
4. The applicant(s) must also provide detailed CVs for all team members, proof of their qualifications, company registration documents, a proof of English or Greek language proficiency, and miscellaneous police clearance and medical certificates.

Special conditions

—The start-up scheme has a quota of 150 applications per year. Also, the current scheme is open until December 2026.

— You can take advantage of the low Cyprus corporate tax of 12,5%.

Self-employed (Category C)

If you are an entrepreneur and want to start a business in Cyprus and have sufficient funds, you can apply for a self-employed visa. This is a permanent residence permit allowing the holders to stay indefinitely and engage in their trade in Cyprus.

Applying for a visa

You must submit your application along with the detailed business plan to the Cyprus Migration Department in order to see how your business will affect the local economy and job market. If you're outside Cyprus, you can submit your application at your local embassy or through an official representative in Cyprus. After careful assessment, they will forward your application to the Ministry of Interior.

During the application process you might be asked to attend a preliminary interview. The application process is rather lengthy and can take up to 12—18 months. If the application is approved you will be invited to collect your permanent residence card from the Migration Department.

Requirements

The key to a successful application is having the required minimum amount of disposable funds. Be ready to prove the legal source of your investment funds. You will also need:

1. A detailed business plan
2. Your CV/qualifications
3. Evidence of funds which remain freely at your disposal for the minimum sum of 260,000 euro.
4. Health Insurance
5. Marriage and birth certificates, if you have a spouse and dependents

Special conditions

— Although it is a Cyprus permanent residency permit, in order to maintain it you must maintain the business activity and the capital investment.

Work visa

If you want to extend your stay on this island and have necessary skills and work experience, working in Cyprus could be an excellent choice. In Cyprus, it is the employer who takes care of the visa formalities. So, the main goal for the applicant is to find a job that offers visa sponsorship. Luckily, many opportunities are available. Depending on your professional qualifications, there are several work visa options: standard, highly-skilled, seasonal or a Blue Card (for professional occupations in demand).

The standard working visa is a temporary residence permit which is issued for up to 4 years, whilst the Blue Card is issued for 3 years with the possibility of renewal.

The seasonal worker’s permit, however, is only issued for up to 12 months.

Applying for a visa

First, you must land a job with a Cyprus-based company. Once you have received a valid job offer, your employer will apply to the Department of Labour. They will run a «labour market test» to make sure they're no local qualified candidates for your role. Once it's approved, the Ministry of Labour will give a «go ahead» to your employer by issuing a letter of recommendation.

Once it is done, your employer will submit a visa application to the Cyprus Migration Department. If you're outside Cyprus you would need to apply for an entry permit at your local Cyprus Embassy. Within the first week of your arrival in Cyprus you must register with the Aliens & Immigration Unit.

After your residence application is submitted you will be allowed to legally stay in Cyprus until the decision is made. Normally it takes around a month.

Requirements

You would need to provide the following documents along with your biometric data

1. Valid passport
2. A signed and stamped employment contract
3. Proof of accommodation in Cyprus
4. A bank guarantee to cover repatriation costs
5. Health Insurance
6. A police clearance and medical certificate

Special conditions

— The work permit validity depends on maintaining your employment in Cyprus.

— After 5 years of legally residing in Cyprus, you could be eligible to apply for a permanent residence permit. However, this option is unavailable for seasonal workers’ category.

Digital Nomad Visa

A Digital Nomad visa is a temporary form of Cyprus residency best suited for freelancers or remote workers with clients from overseas. So, if you are a professional with a steady monthly income from abroad, you can try applying for this category.

This newly introduced Cyprus temporary residence permit allows non-EU citizens to stay in Cyprus and work remotely for an overseas company or client.

Applying for a visa

You may enter Cyprus on a tourist or short-stay visa and within the first 3 months of your arrival you can lodge your Digital Nomad visa application at the Civil Registry and Migration Department in person. The processing time for such visas takes around 5 to 7 weeks, after which you will receive your temporary residence permit.

Requirements

There's an annual government quota for Digital Nomad visas of only 1000 permits cards per year. To qualify, you must demonstrate that you have a regular monthly net income from overseas of at least 3,500 euros, plus another 20% for a spouse and 15% for each dependent child.

The documents you need to provide are as follows:

1. Valid passport
2. Proof of remote employment (a work contract or self-employment documentation)
3. Proof of accommodation in Cyprus (a rental agreement)
4. Health insurance
5. Medical certificate and police clearance

Special conditions

— It is important to note that this Cyprus visa category does not allow the holder to be employed in Cyprus or work for local clients.

— The first permit is issued for 1 year and can be subsequently renewed for another 2 years.

Visitor (temporary residence permit)

If you have sufficient funds and just want to live in Cyprus for a few years, you can apply for a temporary «visitor» permit, also known as a «pink slip».

Named after a pink coloured temporary residence permit card, a Cyprus «pink slip» is initially issued for 1 year with a possibility of renewal.

Applying for a visa

After entering Cyprus on a short-stay or tourist visa, you may submit your application to the Migration Department in person. The application processing time takes around 5—6 months. Once approved, you will receive your Cyprus temporary residence permit and a «pink slip» ID card.

Requirements

To be eligible for this category, the applicant must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds from overseas to cover their living costs and expenses in Cyprus. Currently, the required minimum amounts to 2,000 euro p/month or 24,000 euro p/a. Additionally, you are required to deposit 10,000 euros into your Cyprus bank account before lodging the application.

The other documents include:

1. Valid passport
2. Proof of stable income from abroad
3. A bank guarantee
4. Accommodation proof (a rental agreement or a title deed)
5. Health Insurance
6. Police clearance certificate

Special conditions

— If a temporary permit holder stays outside of Cyprus for longer than 90 days the temporary residence might get cancelled.

— After continuous residence in Cyprus for 5 years, the visa holder may apply for a permanent residence permit.

Cyprus «Golden Visa»

This permanent Cyprus visa is a part of a national «residence by investment» scheme. It’s one of the most popular permanent residence programs amongst expats as it offers a fast-track option for the applicants to acquire Cyprus residence permit quickly, provided they have sufficient funds and invest either in Cyprus real estate or a local business. It can also be used as a stepping stone to acquiring Cyprus citizenship.

Applying for a visa

First and foremost, you must choose your investment: a Cyprus property or a local business. After that, you would need to transfer the funds to Cyprus in a legally transparent way to complete your transaction. You can submit your application in person if you are already in Cyprus or via your official representative. The processing time for this permanent Cyprus visa category is just 2—3 months. Upon approval you must visit the Cyprus Migration Department in person and provide your biometric data and then collect your permanent residence permit and card.

Requirements

One of the key prerequisites for obtaining a Cyprus Golden Visa is investing a minimum of 300,000 euros either in Cyprus real estate or business. In addition, you must demonstrate that you have an annual income of at least 50,000 euros from overseas to support your life in Cyprus. This amount increases by 20%, if you have a spouse, and by additional,15% for each dependent, if you have children.

The other required documents are as follows:

1. Passport
2. Proof of investment (title deeds, receipts, investment contracts)
3. Proof of regular income from overseas (bank statements, tax returns, pay slips)
4. Health insurance
5. Criminal records check

Special conditions

— This permanent residence permit allows you to stay in Cyprus indefinitely. However, the residence permit card must be renewed every 5 years.

— After residing in Cyprus for 8 years, permanent residence permit holders can apply for Cyprus citizenship.

Useful tips

1. If you are on a temporary residence permit, keep track of your absence time from Cyprus. According to government regulations, you must not be away from Cyprus longer than 90 days in a 180 day period.
2. In order to maintain your permanent residence status, you don’t have to stay in Cyprus continuously, but must visit the country at least once every two years.
3. If you decide to invest in Cyprus property, it’s advisable to use the services of a reputable real estate agent who will facilitate a secure purchase and eliminate the potential risks.
4. There are various migration themed topics in popular messengers, such as WhatsApp residence permit discussions or Telegram groups, where people share their stories and migration advice.
5. It’s a good idea to use the services of a migration lawyer or firm — they will advise you on various permit types, help you determine which Cyprus permit is right for you and facilitate the application process.
6. Before lodging your application, make sure to check the Cyprus Migration Department website for latest updates on your Cyprus residence permit requirements.

Currently the Cyprus passport is ranked at 13th place on the global scale. Another interesting Cyprus fact is that the island is one of the top EU migration destinations, with Cyprus residence permit ranking 3rd after Luxembourg and Malta residence.

And, with the island soon to be joining the Schengen area in 2026, becoming a Cyprus citizen is more attractive than ever. But, to achieve that, it is necessary to acquire a Cyprus residence permit first. We hope this article has brought some clarity and wishing you best of luck with your visa application!

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