Buying property in Cyprus is one of the best ways to get a residence permit if you are not a European. But still, this is not the only option for living on the island legally. Here you will see 5 legal ways to get permission to stay on the island - for a period of 90 days to several years.
Option 1: tourist visa (if you need it)
For a legal stay on the island for up to 90 days, it is enough for a third country citizens to have one of the following documents:
only valid passport for nationals who do not need visa to visit the island
or, if you need a visa, your passport should have:
tourist (national) visa of Cyprus
Schengen (or Bulgarian and Romanian) visa of any type.
Each visa has its own characteristics, pros and cons that need to be considered. Let's look at each of them in more detail.
A. Tourist (national) visa
It is issued, like any other visa, at the consulate after you submit all the documents. Type C visa (Short Stay Visa) allows you to stay on the island for 90 days in half a year.
A national visa allows you to enter the island from any country, and not only through airports, but also through seaports. It is convenient for those who visit Cyprus "on short visits": they often visit close relatives or come to rest for a few days.
И. Schengen visa (as well Bulgarian and Romanian visas)
It is equivalent to a national visa of Cyprus, therefore it has the same conditions for a stay - 90 days every half a year. It can also be used to enter multiple times, but there are some conditions associated with the type of visa:
single entry type C entitles you to enter Cyprus only from a Schengen country
two (or multiple) entries type C as well as type D allows you to arrive in Cyprus from anywhere in the world.
Please note that in order to obtain any of the listed visas, you will need your own package of documents.
Option 2: Temporary residence permit
Residence visitor permit, or pink slip, or temporary permit - this type of visa has enough names. It allows you to stay on the island for a period of one year (sometimes longer). Depending on the basis, it can be of three types:
- visitor
- worker
- student.
Everything is clear with the last two types: they are issued for employees of Cypriot companies and for students of Cypriot educational institutions. Validity (on renewal) depends on the contract or the period of study.
The 'visitor' type is the most interesting. It does not allow any work or business activity in Cyprus. This type of visa is suitable for:
- for living with relatives, for example, when parents come to live on the island with a child who has entered a local college or university, or a grandparent came to babysit her grandchildren.
- for treatment or rehabilitation - Cyprus is a popular destination for medical tourism.
- for relaxation and a quiet retirement in the warmth.
It should be noted that in order to obtain a 'tourist' residence permit, you must confirm your income (at least 24,000 euros per year if the 'visitor' is alone and even more if they have dependents), as well as their place of residence. It can be either renting an apartment or a house for a year (see rental options) or own housing. By the way, if you have your own property in Cyprus, it will be much easier to get a residence permit.
Please note: a residence permit must be obtained strictly in Cyprus, consulates do not issue it. At the same time, you will need to provide proof that you are legally staying on the island (see Option 1).
Option 3: Residence permit based on work or study
From the point of view of the applicant, this is the easiest option for obtaining a residence permit - as the employer does most of the work for the future employee.
The same is true for students as well. The package of documents is very small, and the terms of consideration are quite short. Documents for a visa are submitted after the student enters their universities, they include a basic set: certificates of education and exam results, certificates of admission and tuition fees, proof of residence, medical insurance, passport, etc.
More about studying at Cypriot universities and applying for a student visa
Option 4: Permanent residence permit
There are several ways to get the permanent residence permit, let's look at two of them: on the basis of permanent income from abroad or when buying real estate.
The first option is very similar to obtaining a residence permit-type visitor visa: it is necessary to collect documents on the applicant’s wealth (this is ownership of real estate, other valuables abroad, bank statements), confirm a permanent income (for the applicant and each family member), rent real estate, fill out questionnaire, provide an autobiography, a certificate of non-conviction, fill out a questionnaire.
There is a fast way to obtain permanent residence in Cyprus - to buy one or more properties for a total amount of 300,000 euros or more. In this case, the package of documents is reduced, and the review time is reduced to 2-3 months. However, you do not need to take an exam for knowledge of the Greek language.
Together with the buyer of real estate, members of their family can also receive permanent residence: spouse, parents, parents of the spouse, children under 18 years of age.
An important point: the holder of permanent residence must visit Cyprus at least once every two years for a period of three days. Otherwise, the permit loses its validity and must be reissued.
More about the simplified permanent residence of Cyprus when buying a property
It must be borne in mind that in the case of buying real estate, the owner does not have the right to rent it out.
Option 5: Cypriot citizenship
Having a Cyprus passport, you can visit or not visit Cyprus for as often as you want. Also, the citizenship of Cyprus provides some tangible benefits (benefits, pensions, preferential mortgage terms, etc.).
You can get the Cypriot passport if you have legally lived on the island for 7 years (not calculating the days you were out of Cyprus). If you are a spouse of a Cypriot, you need to be in official relations for 3 years and live on the island for 2 years.
When naturalizing, you must meet several requirements:
- do not travel outside Cyprus for 12 months before applying.
- have proof of legal stay all these years in Cyprus (visas, residence permit, permanent residence).
- not have a criminal record.
- be prepared to wait for a long consideration of the application - from 1 to 2 years.
Have you decided to buy an apartment or a house in Cyprus? Contact DOM! The website has a huge list of real estate - residential and commercial. Experienced agency specialists will be happy to help you make the right choice.
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