Cyprus: Permits & Visas

Overview

Before making any plans to buy a home in Cyprus, you must check whether you will need a visa or residence permit and ensure that you will be permitted to use your property when you wish and for whatever purpose you have in mind.

If there’s a possibility that you or a family member will wish to live or work permanently in Cyprus, you should enquire whether it will be possible before making any plans to buy a home there. In general, foreigners may buy property in Cyprus (although there are some restrictions), but they aren’t allowed to remain in the country for longer than 90 days without obtaining a residence permit. This includes EU citizens.

Permit and visa infringements are taken very seriously by the authorities and non-compliance can result in severe penalties, including fines and deportation.

Entry Restrictions

Notwithstanding normal entry requirements (detailed below), Cyprus has certain entry restrictions (some of which are due to the Turkish invasion of the country in 1974). You will be refused admission to the country if you fall into any of the following categories:

• You hold a passport issued by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

• You’ve entered Cyprus via any port or airport in the northern part of the island.

• You hold a passport from the former Republic of Yugoslavia which bears the renewal stamp “Macedonia”. (You will be allowed entry if you have a Yugoslav passport without this stamp.)

You may also have problems entering the Republic of Cyprus (and possibly Greece) if you have a northern Cyprus stamp on your passport. This applies to all those entering Cyprus, irrespective of nationality and length of stay. If you plan to go northern Cyprus, it’s advisable to get immigration officials there to stamp a separate piece of paper on entry, rather than your passport. This is a commonly accepted procedure. If you want to go on a day trip from the Republic of Cyprus to the northern part of the island, the Turkish Cypriot immigration officials will simply give you a day pass and not stamp your passport. For further details about the division of the country and how it may affect you, see the Northern Cyprus Fact Sheet.

Visitors

Subject to the entry restrictions outlined above, any citizen of the following countries can enter Cyprus and remain for up to 90 days with their passport or national identity card, provided it includes their photograph: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea (South), Romania, Russia, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Hong-Kong Special Administrative Region (holders of HKSAR passports only) and Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR passports only) provided they’re in possession of a valid passport. A visa is required by nationals of all other countries.

Full lists of procedures and requirement are available on the website of either the Cyprus Government (www.cyprus.gov.cy) or the Cyprus Tourism Organisation (www.cyprustourism.org). If you require a visa, you should contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of the Republic of Cyprus before planning any visit. Visa applications must be submitted in person and include all supporting documentation such as proposed travel arrangements and (if you’re visiting for business) an official letter from a company in Cyprus. If you wish to study in Cyprus, you must provide a letter from the school or university confirming details and the duration of your course.

As a foreigner, you’re advised always to carry your passport or residence permit (if you have one), which serves as an identity card, a document all local nationals must carry by law. You can be asked to produce your identification papers at any time by the police and other officials and if you don’t have them you can be taken to a police station and questioned.

Temporary Residence Permits

If you plan to stay longer than 90 days, you must apply for a Temporary Residence Employment (TRE) permit at your nearest Immigration Office (listed below). After five years, you can apply for permanent residence. See also Working, Cyprus Fact Sheet.

• Larnaca – Larnaca Police Station, Piale Pasia, Larnaca (24-804 242);

• Limassol – Limassol Police Station, Kyrillou Loukareos, Kakos Center, Limassol (25-805 200);

• Nicosia – Nicosia Police Station, Parodos Leoforou, RIC, Nicosia (General Information: ? 22-802 334, Registration: ? 22-802 348);

• Paphos – Paphos Police Station,Ypolohagou N.Papageorgiou, Polykatikia, PA.SY.DI First Floor, 8011 Paphos (26-806 200).

There are several kinds of TRE permit, including the following:

• Category A – Self-employed in agriculture;

• Category B – Self-employed in mining;

• Category C/D – Self-employed in a trade or profession;

• Category E – Offered permanent employment;

• Category F – Not working (e.g. retired).

For a Category F permit, you’re required to prove that you can support yourself financially, and you won’t be allowed to do work of any kind once you have this type of permit. The official wording is: ‘Persons who possess and have fully and freely at their disposal a secured annual income, high enough to give them a decent living in Cyprus, without [their] having to engage in any business, trade or profession.’

Make sure that you complete the correct form when applying. If you’re in doubt, check with your lawyer or Immigration Office staff.

If you’re looking for a job but haven’t found one when you need to apply for a TRE permit, the Immigration Department may want to see evidence that you can support yourself financially until you find a job. Each case is considered on its own merits; if you can supply bank statements to prove your financial status, your application will be looked upon more favourably.

A TRE permit should be applied for at least a month before the end of your first 90 days in Cyprus. The following is a guide to the documents required to obtain a TRE permit, but always check with the relevant Immigration Office (see above) for up-to-date requirements:

• Your passport, valid for at least a year;

• Four passport photographs;

• Your birth certificate(s) and, if appropriate, marriage certificate;

• Evidence of income or financial self-sufficency, including bank statements from a bank in Cyprus showing average balance or pension payments, where appropriate. Note that your annual income should be in the region of CY£6,000 per person, plus around CY£3,000 for each dependent person, although there are no set limits and each case is considered on its own merits.

• Evidence of medical insurance cover (if you aren’t covered by Cypriot social insurance);

• Evidence of residence in the form of a title deed or sale or rental contract;

• A completed application form and CY£25 in cash;

• Copies of all the above documents;

• Separate copies of documents and application forms for all dependants.

If you have a job offer, you should also submit confirmation of this from your prospective employer or a certificate of employment stamped by the Labour Department. The certificate is included with the application form you will be given at the Immigration Department. It states the type and duration of work you’ve been employed to do.

A lawyer can prepare the required documentation on your behalf (and will charge you around CY£75 for doing so) or you can go several weeks in advance to the Immigration Office for the area where you live, collect the necessary forms and make an appointment for the issue of your permit. Appointments must be made in person, and you must take the completed forms and other documents in person, either on your own or with your lawyer (in which case you don’t need an appointment).

Once you’ve submitted your application, you will be given an Alien’s Registration Certificate (Form P74) and your TRE permit (sometimes known as a ‘pink slip’) will be issued within a maximum of six months. It’s valid for not less than five years from the date of issue and is usually automatically renewable on request, although after five years you can apply for permanent residence. If applicable, you may start work while your application is being processed.

Further information about TRE permits and a downloadable application form can be found on the Ministry of Interior’s website (www.moi.gov.cy) – go to the bottom right corner of the home page for a link to information in English, including the application form.

© Survival Books Limited 2005

“Buying a Home in Cyprus” 3rd Edition, Anne Hall.

Reproduced with the permission of Survival Books Limited.

Further information on this topic can be found in “Buying a Home in Cyprus” 3rd edition, by Anne Hall.

For extensive information about buying a property in Cyprus, you can purchase this book at www.survivalbooks.net