Permanent Residence by Investment
Cyprus Permanent ResidenceUnder Regulation 6(2)
An expedited permanent residence route for eligible third-country nationals who make a qualifying investment in Cyprus and satisfy the applicable financial and quality criteria.
ITMETA LTD assists applicants and their families with eligibility assessment, investment documentation, source-of-funds evidence, application preparation and coordination throughout the Regulation 6(2) procedure.
- €300,000 Minimum Investment
- Permanent Residence Route
- Family Applications
- Expedited Examination
Overview
A long-term residence route through qualifying investment
Regulation 6(2) provides an expedited Immigration Permit procedure for eligible third-country nationals who invest in Cyprus and satisfy the applicable financial and quality requirements.
Applicants may qualify through several permitted investment categories, including residential property, other real estate, investment in an eligible Cyprus company or units of qualifying Cyprus collective investment organisations.
ITMETA LTD assists with reviewing the proposed investment route and preparing the immigration documentation required for the application.
Quick Facts
Key financial thresholds
Minimum Investment
€300,000
The applicant must make a qualifying investment with a minimum value of €300,000, subject to the conditions applicable to the selected investment category.
Secure Annual Income
€50,000
Minimum secured annual income for the principal applicant under the current policy.
Spouse
+ €15,000
Additional annual income requirement where the spouse is included.
Dependent Minor Child
+ €10,000
Additional annual income requirement for each dependent minor child.
The source and permitted location of income depend partly on the type of qualifying investment selected.
Investment Options
Four Qualifying Investment Routes
- A
Option A
New House or Apartment
Investment of at least €300,000 plus VAT in a house or apartment purchased from a development company.
Important: For this investment route, the property must constitute a first sale.
- B
Option B
Other Real Estate
Investment of at least €300,000 in other real estate, such as:
- offices
- shops
- hotels
- related real-estate developments
- or a permitted combination
Such real estate may include resale property, subject to the applicable policy.
- C
Option C
Cyprus Company Share Capital
Investment of at least €300,000 in the share capital of an eligible company registered and operating in Cyprus. The company must have:
- proven physical presence in Cyprus
- business activity in Cyprus
- at least five employees
- D
Option D
Cyprus Collective Investment Organisation
Investment of at least €300,000 in qualifying units of a Cyprus collective investment organisation such as an:
- AIF
- AIFLNP
- RAIF
subject to the applicable regulatory and investment conditions.
The proposed investment should be reviewed before the immigration application is prepared to confirm that it meets the current Regulation 6(2) criteria.
Property Investment
Buying a House or Apartment
Where the applicant qualifies through the purchase of a house or apartment, the current policy requires a qualifying first-sale property purchased from a development company with a value of at least €300,000 plus VAT.
For a Regulation 6(2) residential-property application, do not confuse the minimum property value with VAT obligations. The qualifying investment value is at least €300,000 plus VAT.
Property and payment documentation may include
- Contract of Sale or Title Deed
- evidence that the Contract of Sale has been lodged with the Department of Lands and Surveys where applicable
- official payment receipts
- proof of the transfer of investment funds
- supporting bank documentation
Source of Investment Funds
The investment funds must be properly documented
The Regulation 6(2) policy requires evidence that the investment funds have been transferred to Cyprus from abroad.
The investment amount must be linked clearly to the qualifying investment.
Where permitted under the current policy, funds may also be transferred from a company bank account where the applicant and/or spouse are the sole shareholders and the relevant shareholder is included in the application.
Important: The investment must not be based on domestic borrowing in Cyprus.
Depending on the circumstances, evidence may include
- international bank transfers
- bank statements
- bank confirmation
- payment receipts
- evidence linking transfers to the investment
- supporting source-of-funds documentation
Secure Annual Income
Financial independence is a separate requirement
In addition to the qualifying investment, the principal applicant must demonstrate secure annual income of at least:
- €50,000
- Principal applicant
- €15,000
- Additional amount for spouse
- €10,000
- Additional amount for each dependent minor child
Investment Route A
Income must derive from abroad
For applicants investing in a new house or apartment under Investment Route A, the qualifying income must derive from abroad.
Permitted income may include, subject to supporting evidence and current requirements:
- salaries or wages
- pensions
- dividends
- interest
- rental income
- other qualifying secure income
The spouse's income may also be taken into account.
Investment Routes B, C or D
Income may also derive from Cyprus
For Investment Routes B, C or D, all or part of the qualifying income may also derive from activities within Cyprus, subject to the applicable policy.
Acceptance of any income source depends on the supporting evidence and the requirements in force at the time of application.
Quality Criteria
Additional Eligibility Criteria
Clean Criminal Record
The applicant and spouse must provide the clean criminal record documentation required under the current policy from the applicable country or countries.
Health Coverage
The applicant and dependent family members must maintain the healthcare / health-insurance coverage required under the applicable rules where they are not beneficiaries of GESY.
Non-Employment Requirement
The applicant and spouse generally confirm that they do not intend to undertake employment in Cyprus, subject to the specific exceptions provided by the Regulation 6(2) policy.
Accommodation
Where the qualifying investment is not the residential property in which the family will reside, appropriate evidence of accommodation in Cyprus must also be provided.
Employment
Employment and company participation
Regulation 6(2) is primarily a permanent-residence route rather than an employment-based immigration route.
Looking to work in Cyprus?
Explore BCS & Work PermitsUnder the current policy, the applicant and spouse generally undertake not to engage in employment in Cyprus. However, specific exceptions exist.
- If the applicant qualifies through investment in a Cyprus company under the relevant investment route, employment as a Director of that company may be permitted under the policy.
- Where the investment is not in company share capital, the applicant and/or spouse may hold shares in Cyprus companies and may also hold an unpaid Director position, subject to the applicable conditions.
- Income from dividends from such companies is not, by itself, treated as an obstacle under the policy.
These exceptions do not create a general right to work in Cyprus.
Family
Including your family in the permanent residence plan
The Immigration Permit may cover the principal applicant's spouse and dependent children, subject to the applicable requirements.
Discuss a Family Application
Spouse
The spouse can be included as a dependent family member under the principal applicant’s Regulation 6(2) application structure.
Children Under 18
Dependent children under the age of 18 may be covered by the parent’s Immigration Permit.
Dependent Students 18–25
An unmarried child aged between 18 and 25 may, subject to the applicable conditions, submit a separate Immigration Permit application where the child:
- is financially dependent on the applicant
- is a student in tertiary education abroad at the time of application
- meets the applicable Regulation 6(2) requirements
An additional secured annual income of €10,000 is required for each such dependent student.
Different rules apply to independent adult children and may require a higher-value investment. Such cases should be assessed individually.
Permanent Residence for Independent Adult Children
The current Regulation 6(2) policy also provides a route for certain adult children who are not financially dependent on the principal applicant.
This requires a higher-value qualifying investment and separate financial eligibility for each adult child.
Because the required investment structure depends on the number of adult children included, these cases should be assessed individually before an investment is completed.
Our Process
How the Regulation 6(2) Process Works
- 01
Initial Eligibility Review
We review the applicant, family composition, proposed investment and income structure.
- 02
Investment Route Review
We assess which Regulation 6(2) investment category the proposed transaction is intended to satisfy.
- 03
Investment Documentation
We coordinate the property, company, fund or other investment documentation relevant to the selected route.
- 04
Financial & Source-of-Funds Review
We review the income evidence, bank documentation and transfer-of-funds records required for the application.
- 05
Application Preparation
The MIP2 application and supporting documentation are prepared for submission.
- 06
Submission & Examination
The complete application is submitted to the competent Migration Department procedure for examination.
- 07
Decision & Permit
Following approval, we assist with the subsequent steps for issuance of the applicable permanent residence documentation.
Expedited Procedure
How long does the application take?
“The Cyprus Migration Department currently estimates an examination period of approximately two months from the submission of a complete Regulation 6(2) application, provided that all applicable policy criteria are satisfied and no criminal-record, public-order or public-security concerns arise.”
Actual timing can vary depending on the circumstances of the application, completeness of documentation and any requests for clarification or additional evidence.
The published examination period is an official estimate and should not be treated as a guaranteed approval or completion date.
Validity
Permanent residence with long-term validity
Under the current policy, the residence right attached to the Immigration Permit is of unlimited validity for the holder and adult dependent beneficiaries, provided that the applicable conditions continue to be respected.
The physical residence card issued in uniform format has a validity period of ten years and must be replaced upon expiry.
Residence cards issued to minor dependants are valid until the age of 18.
Residence Right
Unlimited validity subject to maintaining the applicable legal conditions.
Residence Card
10-year validity for adult holders, followed by card replacement.
Ongoing Compliance
The qualifying investment must be maintained
The holder must continue to satisfy the ongoing conditions applicable to the Immigration Permit.
Under the current clarified policy:
- evidence that the qualifying investment is maintained continues to be required annually
- healthcare / health-insurance evidence remains relevant where the holder is not a beneficiary of GESY
- the applicant and adult family members must provide clean criminal-record documentation every three years from the applicable countries
- the previous requirement to submit annual evidence of maintaining the required income has been abolished
Disposal of the qualifying investment without immediate replacement by another eligible investment of the same or greater qualifying value may result in cancellation of the Immigration Permit.
Maintaining the residence right
An Immigration Permit may cease to remain valid where the holder and dependants acquire permanent residence abroad or remain outside Cyprus for a period that triggers the applicable loss-of-residence rules.
Under the current general Immigration Permit rules, absence from Cyprus for two years can result in loss of the permanent residence right.
Applicants should review their residence position before extended periods abroad.
Documentation
Documents commonly required
Applicant / family documents may include
- valid passports
- birth and marriage documentation where applicable
- clean criminal record certificates
- health insurance / healthcare evidence
- income documentation
- tax-return or accountant evidence as applicable
- bank and source-of-funds documentation
- accommodation documentation
- family-status documents
- application forms and declarations
- other evidence required for the specific case
Investment documents may include
- Contract of Sale / Title Deed
- Land Registry evidence where applicable
- payment receipts
- international transfer evidence
- bank confirmation
- company documentation
- investment-fund documentation
- evidence of company personnel where relevant
- other supporting documentation applicable to the selected investment route
Supporting documents must comply with the applicable official translation and certification requirements.
Why ITMETA LTD
Coordinating the immigration side of your investment
Eligibility Assessment
We review the proposed investment and family circumstances against the Regulation 6(2) immigration criteria.
Investment Documentation Review
We coordinate the immigration evidence required to demonstrate the qualifying investment.
Financial Evidence
We review income and transfer documentation required for the residence application.
Family & Ongoing Support
Assistance with dependent applications and subsequent immigration compliance requirements.
ITMETA LTD is an independent private company. Immigration decisions are made by the Migration Department and the competent Cyprus authorities.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
General answers only. Your specific circumstances are reviewed individually during consultation.
What is Regulation 6(2) permanent residence?
It is an expedited Immigration Permit procedure available to eligible third-country nationals who make a qualifying investment in Cyprus and satisfy the applicable financial and quality criteria.
What is the minimum investment?
The current policy requires a qualifying investment of at least €300,000. VAT may apply depending on the type of investment, including residential property purchased as a first sale.
Can I buy a resale apartment?
A house or apartment used under the residential-property investment route must qualify as a first sale from a development company. Different rules apply to the separate investment category for other types of real estate, where resale property may be permitted.
What annual income do I need?
The current policy requires secure annual income of at least €50,000 for the principal applicant, increased by €15,000 for the spouse and €10,000 for each dependent minor child.
Can my spouse’s income be counted?
Yes, the spouse’s income may be taken into account subject to the applicable policy and supporting-document requirements.
Can I work in Cyprus with Regulation 6(2) permanent residence?
The Regulation 6(2) route is not a general employment permit. The policy contains specific rules and limited exceptions concerning company participation and Director positions. Applicants intending to work should assess their position before undertaking employment.
Can my children be included?
Dependent minor children can be covered, while certain dependent students aged 18–25 may qualify through separate applications. Independent adult children are subject to different requirements, including a higher-value investment structure.
How long does approval take?
The Migration Department currently estimates approximately two months for examination of a complete application where the applicable criteria are satisfied. Actual timing may vary.
Is the permanent residence card valid forever?
The residence right can be of unlimited validity subject to the applicable conditions, while the physical residence card for adult holders has a ten-year validity period and must then be replaced.
Do I have to keep the investment?
Yes. The qualifying investment must continue to satisfy the Regulation 6(2) requirements. Disposal without an eligible replacement can lead to cancellation of the Immigration Permit.
Can I stay outside Cyprus indefinitely?
No. Extended absence may affect the Immigration Permit. Current general Immigration Permit rules provide that an absence from Cyprus for two years can result in loss of the permanent residence right.
Can ITMETA LTD help before I purchase a property?
Yes. The proposed immigration structure should ideally be reviewed before the qualifying investment is completed so that the documentation and transaction can be assessed against the applicable Regulation 6(2) requirements.
Consultation
Considering Permanent Residence in Cyprus?
Tell us about your proposed investment, family circumstances and source of income. We will review the immigration requirements and identify the appropriate next steps.
Consultation
Discuss Your Regulation 6(2) Case
Share a few details about your proposed investment, family and income. We will review them and outline the appropriate next steps.
- Initial case assessment
- Clear documentation requirements
- Step-by-step procedural guidance
- Ongoing communication and support