Cyprus Permanent Residency by Investment: The €300,000 Route in 2026

The headline requirement is a €300,000 investment, most commonly a first-sale home from a development company (€300,000 plus VAT). Other qualifying categories include specified non-residential property, Cyprus company shares and collective investment units. For the residential category, you must show secured annual income from abroad. The figures below are the core criteria; they are set by regulation and have changed over time, so confirm the current position before relying on them.

There are two main permanent-residency routes for non-EU nationals, and they are very different in speed and requirements. The fast-track under Regulation 6(2) is the route most property investors use; Category F is older, slower and income-based.

Not for the house/apartment category: it requires a first sale from a development company. However, eligible resale offices, shops, hotels and similar non-residential property can qualify under another Regulation 6(2) category. Other categories include certain Cyprus company shares and collective investment units.

For the house/apartment category, you must show secured annual income from abroad sufficient to support your family. For the commercial-property, Cyprus-company and fund categories, the official policy also permits all or part of the income to arise in Cyprus. The thresholds increase with family size.

Applications are handled by the Migration Department under the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection. They can be filed personally or through an authorised representative under the published procedure.

The Migration Department estimates approximately two months to examine a complete application; actual decisions can take longer. Once granted, the permit is permanent: it does not expire in the way a temporary permit does.

A holder living abroad when approved must acquire residence in Cyprus within one year. The permit can cease after a two-year absence or if the holder acquires permanent residence abroad. Annual proof that the investment remains in place, and health cover where applicable, are required; clean criminal-record certificates are due every three years under the official clarification. Adult residence cards expire after ten years and must be replaced. See the official investor policy.

Yes. The main applicant’s spouse and dependent children can generally be included in the same application, which is why the income thresholds scale with family size (an extra €15,000 for a spouse and €10,000 per child). Adult children may qualify under specific conditions; parents are not included in the current investor policy.

Because the rules on who qualifies as a dependant and on age limits are detailed and can change, families should confirm the current criteria before applying so the investment and income evidence are structured correctly from the outset.

No — and this is the single most important clarification. Permanent residency lets you live in Cyprus; it is not a passport. The Cyprus Investment Programme, which granted citizenship by investment, was abolished in November 2020 and is not available.

It can, but not automatically and not quickly. Citizenship is obtained through naturalisation, which generally requires several years of lawful residence — in the region of seven to eight years — and, in practice, genuine physical presence in Cyprus.

This creates a tension investors should understand: the PR route requires initial residence and avoids a two-year absence, whereas naturalisation expects substantial lawful residence. Holding PR while spending little time in Cyprus keeps the permit but does not build a citizenship claim. Anyone whose ultimate goal is a passport should plan the residence pattern accordingly.

Two points matter for 2026. First, the €300,000 threshold is before VAT, and a new-build residence may attract VAT at 19% or, if it qualifies as a primary residence, the reduced 5% rate on the first 130 m² — worth confirming, as it affects your total outlay.

Second, the wider framework on non-EU property ownership is under review, with proposals during 2026 to tighten rules for third-country nationals. None of this removes the PR route, but it is a reason to confirm the current legal position and complete a qualifying purchase on sound advice rather than assume yesterday’s rules still apply.