Do EU citizens need a residency visa for Cyprus?

No. EU free movement already gives EU citizens the right to live in Cyprus; local registration rules still apply.

Can EU citizens get residency in Cyprus by buying property?

Yes. Immigration permit (permanent residence) for investors, Regulation 6(2) fast-track: from €300,000 (about $337k). €300,000 (excl. VAT) in new residential property from a developer, other real estate, a Cyprus company or a Cyprus investment fund, paid in full with funds transferred from abroad; secured annual income of €50,000 +€15,000 spouse +€10,000 per minor child

How long does it take?

Immigration permit (permanent residence) for investors, Regulation 6(2) fast-track: the authorities publish no processing time. The permit runs Not published.

Does it lead to citizenship?

Citizenship possible after about 8 years; the permit is permanent residence from the start.

Cyprus Residency for EU citizens: Routes, Costs and Rules

For EU citizens

What is different for EU citizens.

EU citizens can live here under EU free movement (registration after 3 months), so no investor residence permit is needed.
European Union, Your Europe: Residence rights
EU citizens can stay in another EU country for up to 3 months without registering, and can move there to live, work or retire, registering residence for longer stays.
European Union, Your Europe: Residence rights
After five years of lawful, unbroken residence in another EU country, an EU citizen automatically gains the right to live there permanently.
European Union, Your Europe: Residence rights

1 open route

The routes to living in Cyprus.

Immigration permit (permanent residence) for investors, Regulation 6(2) fast-track

Open73

criteria in force since 2023-05-02

Minimum: €300,000 · about $337k
What counts: €300,000 (excl. VAT) in new residential property from a developer, other real estate, a Cyprus company or a Cyprus investment fund, paid in full with funds transferred from abroad; secured annual income of €50,000 +€15,000 spouse +€10,000 per minor child
Processing: Not published
Permit: Not published
Time you must spend there: no minimum stay; visit Cyprus at least once every 2 years
Path to a passport: Citizenship possible after about 8 years; the permit is permanent residence from the start.
Family: spouse, minor children, dependent adult children who are students; parents/parents-in-law removed in 2023
Tax: Non-dom status: no Special Defence Contribution on dividends and interest; from 2026 it can be extended by up to two further 5-year periods for €250,000 each. Tax residence is possible under the 60-day rule, subject to conditions

Official source · Second source · checked 2026-10-20

Cyprus Investment Programme (citizenship by investment)

Closed

closed 2020-11-01 (abolished by the Council of Ministers on 13 Oct 2020, after the Al Jazeera investigation)

Minimum: €2,000,000 · about $2.24m
What counts: Former route: at least €2m in real estate or other qualifying Cyprus assets plus €150,000 in donations (from May 2019), with the passport issued directly
Processing: Not published
Permit: Not published
Time you must spend there: No rule published
Path to a passport: No set path to permanent residence or citizenship through this route.
Family: Not published
Tax: Not published

· checked 2026-10-20

Residency rules, thresholds and fees change often, sometimes without notice. Everything here is general information, checked on the date shown, not legal, tax or immigration advice: confirm with the official source and a licensed adviser before you act. Continental sells property; we don’t arrange visas or residency.

Short answers

What people ask.

Do EU citizens need a residency visa for Cyprus?: No. EU free movement already gives EU citizens the right to live in Cyprus; local registration rules still apply.
Can EU citizens get residency in Cyprus by buying property?: Yes. Immigration permit (permanent residence) for investors, Regulation 6(2) fast-track: from €300,000 (about $337k). €300,000 (excl. VAT) in new residential property from a developer, other real estate, a Cyprus company or a Cyprus investment fund, paid in full with funds transferred from abroad; secured annual income of €50,000 +€15,000 spouse +€10,000 per minor child
Is the Cyprus golden visa still available?: Cyprus Investment Programme (citizenship by investment) is closed (closed 2020-11-01 (abolished by the Council of Ministers on 13 Oct 2020, after the Al Jazeera investigation)). Open today: Immigration permit (permanent residence) for investors, Regulation 6(2) fast-track.
How long does it take?: Immigration permit (permanent residence) for investors, Regulation 6(2) fast-track: the authorities publish no processing time. The permit runs Not published.
Does it lead to citizenship?: Citizenship possible after about 8 years; the permit is permanent residence from the start.

Read it for your passport

Cyprus residency, passport by passport.

Visa-free stays: Schengen visa list (EU Regulation 2018/1806): British, American and Emirati visitors stay up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa; Saudi, Indian and Chinese visitors need a Schengen visa; Cyprus applies the EU visa list but is not in Schengen. Always confirm with the embassy before you travel.

Where we can help

Our markets, where a home can count.

We don’t sell homes in Cyprus. These are the countries where we do, and where buying one can count towards residency.

The homes: Homes in Thailand · Homes in Malaysia · Homes in the United Arab Emirates · Homes in Saudi Arabia · Homes in Oman · Homes in Spain.

Cyprus residency for EU citizens.