Updated Citizenship Requirements for Foreigners in Cyprus

Amendments to the Law on Citizenship through Naturalization have been published in the official gazette of the Republic of Cyprus.

A foreigner needs to have lived in Cyprus for a minimum of 7 years before applying for citizenship. Additionally, the applicant must not have been absent from the island for more than 90 days during the last 12 months before applying.

Furthermore, a candidate for Cypriot citizenship must provide a criminal record certificate confirming that they are not wanted by Europol and/or Interpol, are not under sanctions, have never lived illegally in the Republic of Cyprus, and have not illegally crossed the border with Cyprus.

One of the strictest requirements is the mandatory knowledge of the Greek language at the B1 level. To meet this, an exam must be passed, and the corresponding certificate obtained. The foreigner must also possess knowledge of the history, culture, modern politics, and social life of the Republic of Cyprus. The applicant must own and/or rent property for themselves and their family and have a stable income.

It is important to note that these rules will apply not only to new applications but also to existing ones.

In other words, pending naturalization applications based on the status effective before the entry into force of the Population Register (Amendment) Act 2023 will be processed in accordance with the new provisions of this law.

Furthermore, when calculating the applicant's duration of stay in Cyprus, days when they were in refugee or student status are now not counted.

The official gazette also published conditions for the naturalization of highly qualified specialists.

For this category, the following rules apply:

1. Employees of companies with foreign interests working in the research and innovation sector are eligible to obtain citizenship under the Law on Naturalization of Highly Qualified Specialists.
2. They must have legally and permanently resided in the Republic of Cyprus for the last 12 months immediately preceding the date of their application for naturalization (exceptions are possible).
3. An applicant for naturalization must also prove that they have no criminal record: they are not internationally wanted, have not been sentenced to imprisonment for any crime in the Republic of Cyprus or abroad, have not entered or exited the island through unrecognized territories of the TRNC, and do not pose a threat to public order and safety in the Republic of Cyprus.
4. They must have suitable accommodation and a stable income to support themselves and their family members, amounting to no less than 2,500 euros. This includes income from full-time employment or other stable and legal sources.
5. The applicant must demonstrate high academic and professional qualifications.
6. Individuals with knowledge of the Greek language at the A2 level can apply for a Cypriot passport after five years, and those at the B1 level after four years. Family members of these individuals enjoy the same rights and obligations. It should be noted that knowledge of the Greek language at the A2 level refers to the basic ability to use the Greek language in certain and specific situations, across a wide range of linguistic functions, but in a very simple way. On the other hand, with knowledge of Greek at the B1 level, a candidate can act autonomously and effectively in ordinary communicative situations.
7. Family members of a foreign worker falling under such naturalization provisions have the right to submit applications for naturalization and/or be naturalized simultaneously with this individual, provided they meet the criteria for legal and continuous residence, without requiring that the established terms coincide with the periods passed by this individual. In this case, the spouse and/or partner must meet the same criteria for knowledge of the Greek language as the main applicant.
8. Children who are minors at the time of the main applicant's application under this law and reach adulthood during the consideration of said application are considered minors for the purposes of obtaining naturalization and may be registered as citizens of Cyprus, submitting an application in accordance with the provisions of the law.
9. Applications are planned to be processed within an accelerated procedure, not exceeding 8 months.