Last updated: 9 September 2026
Written by: LaunchCy Relocation & Immigration Team

Can you get permanent residency in Cyprus by investing €300,000?

Yes — but the current rules are much more specific than “buy a €300,000 property and get residency”.

Cyprus currently offers an expedited permanent residence route for qualifying third-country nationals under Regulation 6(2) of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations.

The minimum qualifying investment is €300,000, but the investment is only one part of the application.

Applicants must also satisfy income, source-of-funds, criminal-record, health-insurance and other quality criteria, and the investment itself must fall within one of the categories recognised by the Cyprus Migration Department.

The most important point is this:

Not every €300,000 property qualifies for Cyprus permanent residency.

This guide is based on the current Cyprus Migration Department investor policy and the latest official clarifications available as of 9 September 2026.

Official Cyprus Migration Department investor criteria

If you are planning a wider move, read our complete guide to relocating to Cyprus in 2027 for the immigration, tax, housing and business-relocation picture.

Cyprus Permanent Residency 2027: The Short Answer

Under the current fast-track Regulation 6(2) route, a qualifying third-country national can apply by investing at least:

€300,000

in one of four approved investment categories.

These are the current published criteria.

They are not a guarantee of approval, and they should be re-checked again immediately before a 2027 application is filed.

What Is Cyprus Permanent Residency by Investment?

The official status is an Immigration Permit under Regulation 6(2).

It is available to qualifying third-country nationals who make an approved investment and meet the financial and quality criteria.

Online, the route is often described as:

Cyprus Permanent Residency by Investment

or the:

Cyprus Golden Visa

“Cyprus Golden Visa” is marketing shorthand. It is not the official name of the programme.

It is also important not to confuse this route with the former Cyprus citizenship-by-investment programme.

Permanent residence is not citizenship.

It does not automatically provide a Cyprus passport or EU citizenship.

Latest 2026 Updates You Should Know Before Applying

1. Older Regulation 6(2) Criteria Can No Longer Be Used for New Applications

On 3 March 2026, the Cyprus Migration Department terminated the transitional arrangement that had allowed certain applications to be examined under older criteria.

New applications are now examined exclusively under the criteria in force at the time of submission, regardless of when the sale agreement was deposited with the Department of Lands and Surveys.

Official 3 March 2026 Migration Department announcement

For somebody planning to apply in 2027, this means a property purchase or reservation made earlier does not automatically lock in an older immigration framework.

2. Dependent Student Applications Were Clarified in March 2026

On 19 March 2026, the Migration Department clarified that dependent-student applications under Regulation 6(2) are examined under the current Fourth Revision criteria.

For parents whose permit was granted under an earlier revision, additional property and funds-transfer evidence can be required when a dependent student applies.

Official 19 March 2026 dependent-student update

3. Post-Approval Monitoring Is Different From What Many Older Articles Say

The current Migration Department clarification states that annual proof of maintaining the required income has been abolished.

However, annual evidence that the qualifying investment is maintained still remains required.

Health-insurance evidence also remains required where the applicant and family are no longer GESY beneficiaries.

Clean criminal-record certificates for the applicant and adult family members are now required every three years rather than annually.

This is an important update because many older Cyprus permanent residency guides still describe the previous compliance system.

4. The Current Application Form Is MIP2

The current Migration Department forms page lists Form MIP2, together with the Regulation 6(2) document checklist, student checklist, non-employment statement, affidavit and representative authorisation.

Official MIP2 forms and checklists

How Much Do You Need to Invest for Cyprus Permanent Residency?

The minimum qualifying investment remains:

€300,000

The current policy recognises four investment categories.

1. New House or Apartment

The applicant may purchase a house or apartment from a development company.

The residential property must be a first sale.

The qualifying value is at least:

€300,000 plus VAT.

This is the route most people mean when they search for “Cyprus residency by buying property”.

It is also the route where the distinction between a new-build and a resale property matters most.

2. Other Real Estate

The applicant may invest at least €300,000 in other types of real estate, such as:

offices, shops, hotels or related real-estate developments.

Unlike the new residential category, qualifying property under this category may be resale property.

3. Investment in a Cyprus Company

An applicant may invest:

€300,000 in the share capital of a Cyprus company.

This may be through a newly registered company or through an increase in the share capital of an existing Cyprus company.

The company must be based and genuinely operating in Cyprus, have proven physical presence and employ at least five people.

If your move also involves establishing or relocating a business, see our Business Relocation to Cyprus guide.

4. Cyprus Investment Fund Units

The fourth route is an investment of at least:

€300,000

in qualifying units of a Cyprus collective investment organisation, including applicable AIF, AIFLNP or RAIF structures whose investments satisfy the policy requirements.

Does Any €300,000 Property Qualify?

No.

Under the house/apartment route, the property must generally be sold for the first time by a development company.

A normal resale apartment purchased from an existing owner does not qualify under that residential category.

This is why the immigration eligibility of the asset should be checked before a reservation agreement, sale contract or substantial payment is made.

A listing that says:

“Apartment for sale — €300,000”

does not automatically mean:

“This apartment qualifies for Cyprus permanent residency.”

Can You Buy Two Apartments Instead of One?

Yes.

The current Migration Department policy allows the applicant to purchase up to two housing units, provided their total qualifying market value satisfies the relevant threshold.

Importantly, under the current Fourth Revision, the two properties do not need to come from the same development company.

The condition applies to the couple as a whole.

Can the Property Be Bought Through a Company?

Potentially, yes.

The current investor policy states that a real-estate purchase may be accepted when made in the name of a legal person, provided the applicant and/or spouse are the sole shareholders or ultimate beneficial owners and the legal person is established in Cyprus or another EU/EEA Member State.

This can be a useful structuring option, but it should be checked against the applicant’s wider tax, ownership and property objectives before the transaction is completed.

Is the €300,000 Inclusive of VAT?

For the new residential-property route, the official requirement is:

€300,000 plus VAT.

This means the immigration threshold should not be confused with the applicant’s total property budget.

Depending on the transaction, the buyer may also need to consider VAT, legal fees, due diligence, property-related charges, furnishing and other relocation costs.

How Much Must Be Paid Before the Application Is Submitted?

For the normal real-estate investment route, the application should be supported by the title deed or a sale contract officially filed with the Department of Lands and Surveys, showing a total market value of at least €300,000 plus VAT where applicable.

The current Migration Department policy requires official payment receipts of at least:

€300,000 excluding VAT

regardless of the property’s delivery date.

A different rule applies to the higher-value investment structure for financially independent adult children.

Where the investment is real estate, evidence that at least 66% of the relevant market value has been paid must be submitted with the application.

Where Must the Investment Money Come From?

The applicant must prove that the investment funds were transferred to Cyprus from abroad and are linked to the qualifying investment.

The policy also states that the investment must not be the result of domestic borrowing in Cyprus.

The current clarification allows funds to be transferred from a company bank account where the applicant and/or spouse are the company’s sole shareholders, provided the relevant shareholder is included in the application.

Source-of-funds evidence should therefore be planned before money is transferred, not reconstructed afterwards.

What Is the €50,000 Income Requirement?

The main applicant must demonstrate secured annual income of at least:

€50,000

The amount increases by:

€15,000 for the spouse

and:

€10,000 for each dependent minor child.

The spouse’s income may be taken into account when calculating the total.

Where Can the Income Come From?

For the new residential-property route, the qualifying income must derive from abroad.

The current policy gives examples including:

salary or wages, pensions, dividends, bank-deposit interest and rental income.

The Migration Department has clarified that the annual income can be proved either through:

a tax return from the country where the applicant declares tax residence;

or:

official certificates from an independent Certified Accountant.

For the other investment categories — other real estate, Cyprus company share capital or qualifying investment funds — all or part of the income may also arise from activities within Cyprus.

Can Your Spouse and Children Be Included?

Yes.

The Immigration Permit covers the applicant’s spouse and children under 18 as dependants.

Separate permits may also be issued to spouses if separate applications and fees are submitted.

What About Unmarried Children Aged 18–25?

An unmarried child aged 18–25 who is studying in tertiary education abroad at the date of application and is financially dependent on the applicant may submit a separate Immigration Permit application.

The parent or parents must demonstrate an additional:

€10,000 of annual income

for each such dependent student.

A point often missed online is that once this student’s Immigration Permit is issued, it can remain valid even after the child turns 25 or later ceases to be unmarried, a student or financially dependent.

However, the child’s future spouse or minor children cannot be added as dependants to that permit.

Cancellation of the investor-parent’s permit can also affect the child’s permit.

If the child studies at a tertiary institution in Cyprus, the immigration treatment is different and the student temporary-residence route normally applies during the studies.

Can Financially Independent Adult Children Obtain Permanent Residency?

Potentially, yes, through a higher-value investment structure.

Each financially independent adult child relying on the higher-value structure must also demonstrate secured annual income of at least:

€50,000

increased by:

€15,000 for their spouse

and:

€10,000 for each dependent minor child.

Where the higher-value investment is real estate, evidence of payment of at least 66% of the total market value is required with the application.

What If a Minor Child Is Applying Without Both Parents?

The Migration Department has issued a specific clarification for cases where a minor child is included but both parents are not participating in the application.

In such cases, only consent declarations signed before a consular officer of the Republic of Cyprus are accepted.

The declaration must explicitly consent to the child residing permanently in Cyprus.

Can You Work in Cyprus With Fast-Track Permanent Residency?

The Regulation 6(2) investor permit is not a general employment permit.

The applicant and spouse normally confirm that they do not intend to undertake employment in Cyprus.

An exception applies where the applicant is employed as a Director of the company in which the qualifying investment has been made under the company-share-capital route.

Where the qualifying investment is not in company share capital, the applicant and/or spouse may own shares in Cyprus companies, receive dividends and hold an unpaid Director position, subject to the published policy.

For founders, this is a key distinction:

Permanent residence and the right to take ordinary salaried employment are not the same thing.

What Other Quality Criteria Apply?

The current policy requires clean criminal-record certificates for the applicant and spouse from the country of origin and, where different, the country of residence.

Applicants must not pose a threat to public order or public security.

The applicant and dependent family members must also provide health-insurance coverage for inpatient and outpatient care.

Where the investment is not a new residential property, evidence of accommodation in Cyprus must also be provided.

All supporting documents must be officially translated and duly certified according to the Migration Department’s document rules.

How Long Does Cyprus Permanent Residency Take?

The Cyprus Migration Department currently states that the estimated examination period is approximately:

Two months

from the submission of a complete application, provided the criteria are met and there are no criminal-record, public-order or public-security concerns.

This is an official estimate, not a guaranteed approval date.

Preparation time can be longer if documents, source-of-funds evidence or property paperwork are incomplete.

What Are the Government Application Fees?

The current government application fee is:

€500

An additional:

€70

is payable for each person who needs an Alien Registration Certificate — ARC — where one does not already exist.

Professional, legal, property, certification, translation, banking and other transaction costs are separate.

Is Cyprus Permanent Residency Really Permanent?

The underlying residence right is of unlimited validity for the holder and adult dependants, subject to continued compliance.

The physical residence card for adults has a 10-year expiry date and must be replaced when it expires.

A card issued to a minor dependant is valid until age 18.

There is therefore an important distinction between:

the permanent residence right

and:

the expiry date of the physical card.

Do You Have to Live in Cyprus Full-Time?

No.

The route does not require the investor to spend most of every year in Cyprus.

However, if the applicant and dependants are living abroad when approval is granted, they must acquire residence in Cyprus within one year from approval.

The Immigration Permit can also cease to be valid if the holder and dependants acquire permanent residence abroad or are absent from Cyprus for:

two years.

Do You Have to Keep the €300,000 Investment?

Yes.

The qualifying investment must be maintained.

Disposing of it without immediately replacing it with another qualifying investment of the same or greater value that satisfies the policy can result in cancellation of the Immigration Permit.

The route is therefore not:

invest €300,000 → obtain the card → sell immediately.

What Are the Ongoing Compliance Requirements?

The current Migration Department clarification is important because many older articles still describe the previous monitoring system.

This is exactly why applicants should rely on current Government guidance rather than older articles about the programme.

A 2026 Property-Due-Diligence Update Buyers Should Not Ignore

For property-based applications, immigration due diligence and property due diligence should happen together.

The Cyprus Department of Lands and Surveys states that for sale contracts concluded on or after 12 December 2023, the seller must include a Search Certificate showing encumbrances and prohibitions, dated within five working days of the contract.

Department of Lands and Surveys — Contract of Sale guidance

In February 2026, the Department also announced activation of administrative fines for breaches of these purchaser-protection obligations following a transition period ending in May 2026.

Department of Lands and Surveys — 2026 purchaser-protection update

For a Regulation 6(2) applicant, this is another reason not to treat the immigration file and the property contract as two unrelated processes.

Is Cyprus Permanent Residency the Same as Tax Residency?

No.

Immigration residence and tax residence are separate legal concepts.

Cyprus tax residence is determined under separate rules, including the 183-day rule and the 60-day rule.

The Cyprus Tax Department provides the current official conditions here:

Cyprus Tax Department — Tax Residency and Domicility

For a detailed explanation, read our Cyprus 60-Day Tax Residency Rule 2027 guide.

If Cyprus Non-Dom status may be relevant, see our Cyprus Non-Dom Tax Status guide.

Does Cyprus Permanent Residency Give Schengen Access?

Not under the current September 2026 position.

Cyprus has not yet completed full Schengen integration.

A Cyprus permanent residence permit should therefore not currently be marketed as a standard Schengen residence permit.

For the latest position and possible 2027 timeline, read our Is Cyprus in Schengen in 2026? Latest Status & 2027 Timeline.

Future full Schengen integration could materially improve short-term European mobility for qualifying Cyprus residence-permit holders.

However, a €300,000+ investment should not be made solely on the assumption of future Schengen benefits.

Does Cyprus Permanent Residency Lead to Citizenship?

Not automatically.

Permanent residence is not citizenship, and the Regulation 6(2) investment does not automatically convert into a passport after a fixed number of years.

Naturalisation is governed by separate residence, physical-presence, language, character and other statutory criteria.

The Ministry of Interior publishes the current naturalisation framework here:

Ministry of Interior — Citizenship by Naturalisation, Form M127

If citizenship is the applicant’s long-term objective, this should be analysed separately from the permanent-residence investment.

What We See in Practice at LaunchCy

One of the most common mistakes with the €300,000 route is starting with the property instead of the immigration strategy.

A buyer finds an apartment.

They negotiate the price.

They pay a reservation deposit.

And only afterwards do they ask:

“Does this property actually qualify for Regulation 6(2)?”

The safer sequence is the opposite.

First establish who is applying, which family members need to be included, whether anyone intends to work in Cyprus, which investment category is appropriate, whether the income test is met and how the source of funds will be documented.

Then select and structure the investment.

This is especially important for families with children approaching university age, applicants with financially independent adult children, founders who want an active business role, or investors whose long-term objective also involves tax residence or eventual citizenship.

At LaunchCy, permanent residence is therefore treated as part of the wider relocation plan rather than as a standalone form-filling exercise.

What the €300,000 Route Does NOT Automatically Give You

The Regulation 6(2) fast-track route does not automatically give you:

• Cyprus citizenship or an EU passport;
• unrestricted salaried employment rights in Cyprus;
• the right to work throughout the EU;
• automatic Cyprus tax residency;
• automatic Cyprus Non-Dom status;
• automatic Schengen travel rights under the current September 2026 position; or
• the right to sell the qualifying investment immediately after approval without replacement.

This is important because online advertising sometimes compresses several completely different legal concepts into the phrase:

“Buy property and get European residency.”

The actual rules are much more specific.

A Practical Family Example

Consider a non-EU married couple with two minor children.

The family would also need the appropriate source-of-funds evidence, criminal-record certificates, insurance arrangements and all other supporting documents.

If the new residential-property route is used, the selected property itself must satisfy the first-sale requirements.

This is why the purchase price alone is never enough to assess eligibility.

Cyprus Permanent Residency Application Process

A well-structured application normally follows this sequence:

1. Assess applicant and family eligibility.
2. Choose the appropriate investment category.
3. Check the investment before signing or transferring substantial funds.
4. Prepare the source-of-funds trail and secured-income evidence.
5. Complete the investment and collect the required payment, property or investment evidence.
6. Prepare Form MIP2 and the current supporting-document checklist.
7. Submit personally or through an authorised representative.
8. Complete ARC and biometric steps where required.
9. Respond to any additional Migration Department requests.
10. Following approval, comply with the ongoing investment and monitoring requirements.

The Biggest Mistakes Applicants Make

Some of the most important mistakes to avoid are:

• buying a resale residential apartment and assuming it qualifies under the new house/apartment category;
• assuming €300,000 is the total acquisition budget when VAT and other costs may sit on top;
• moving funds without a clean source-of-funds trail from abroad;
• assuming the permit is a general work permit;
• ignoring the €50,000 secured-income test;
• using outdated income or dependant rules from older articles;
• not planning correctly for dependent students aged 18–25;
• failing to model the higher investment required for financially independent adult children;
• confusing permanent residence with tax residence or Non-Dom status;
• assuming Cyprus PR already gives full Schengen mobility;
• selling the qualifying investment after approval without understanding the replacement requirement; and
• forgetting the annual investment-monitoring and three-year criminal-record obligations.

These are the kinds of issues that should be clarified before an investment agreement is signed.

Cyprus Permanent Residency 2027: The Bottom Line

Under the rules in force as of 9 September 2026, Cyprus continues to offer an expedited permanent residence route for qualifying third-country nationals who make an investment of at least:

€300,000

The principal applicant currently needs secured annual income of at least:

€50,000

increased for a spouse and dependent minor children.

The official estimated examination period for a complete application is approximately:

Two months

But the €300,000 headline is only the beginning.

The investment must qualify.

The payment and source of funds must be documented.

The applicant must meet the income and quality criteria.

Employment rights are restricted.

And the investment must continue to be maintained.

For someone planning an application in 2027, perhaps the most important rule is the March 2026 update:

The application will be examined under the criteria in force at the time of submission.

The official rules should therefore always be checked again before committing to the final investment structure.

Planning Cyprus Permanent Residency in 2027?

LaunchCy supports individuals and families planning Cyprus permanent residence by coordinating the immigration process with the wider relocation.

We first review:

the applicant and family structure;

the intended investment;

employment or business plans;

property requirements;

European travel needs;

and the family’s longer-term objectives.

We then coordinate the immigration process together with property search and practical settling-in requirements, involving the appropriate licensed legal, tax, accounting or other specialist professionals where regulated advice is required.

If you are considering the €300,000 fast-track route, the safest time to establish whether your proposed structure qualifies is before signing a property or investment agreement.

Talk to LaunchCy about Cyprus Permanent Residency

Frequently Asked Questions About Cyprus Permanent Residency

How much do I need to invest for Cyprus permanent residency?

The current minimum qualifying investment under the expedited Regulation 6(2) route is €300,000.

For the new house/apartment category, the official policy requires at least €300,000 plus VAT.

Can I get Cyprus permanent residency by buying a €300,000 property?

Potentially, but not every property qualifies.

Under the residential route, the home must generally be a first sale from a development company.

Can I buy a resale apartment for Cyprus permanent residency?

A normal resale house or apartment does not generally qualify under the new residential-property category.

Resale property may be relevant under the separate “other real estate” category.

Can I buy two properties?

Yes.

The current policy allows up to two housing units where the total qualifying market value meets the threshold.

The two units do not need to come from the same development company.

What income do I need?

The main applicant currently needs €50,000 of secured annual income, increased by €15,000 for a spouse and €10,000 for each dependent minor child.

How long does the application take?

The Migration Department currently states an estimated examination period of approximately two months from submission of a complete application, assuming all criteria are met.

Can my spouse and children be included?

Yes.

A spouse and children under 18 can generally be covered.

Separate rules apply to dependent students aged 18–25 and financially independent adult children.

Can I work in Cyprus with this permit?

It is not a general employment permit.

The applicant and spouse normally confirm that they will not undertake employment in Cyprus, subject to specific Director/shareholder provisions in the current policy.

Do I have to live in Cyprus full-time?

No.

However, the permit can cease if the holder and dependants are absent from Cyprus for two years, and applicants living abroad at approval must acquire residence in Cyprus within one year.

Do I need to keep the investment?

Yes.

The qualifying investment must be maintained or immediately replaced by another qualifying investment of the same or greater value.

Do I have to prove the €50,000 income every year after approval?

No.

The current clarification abolished the annual submission requirement for proof that the required income is maintained.

Annual proof of maintaining the investment still remains, while criminal-record certificates for adult holders are required every three years.

Does Cyprus permanent residency automatically make me tax resident?

No.

Tax residency is determined under separate tax rules.

Does Cyprus permanent residency give me Schengen access today?

Not automatically under the current September 2026 position because Cyprus has not yet completed full Schengen integration.

Does Cyprus permanent residency automatically lead to citizenship?

No.

Naturalisation is a separate process with its own residence, physical-presence, language and other requirements.

Official Sources Reviewed for This Article

Cyprus Migration Department — Immigration Permits for Investors: current Regulation 6(2) policy and clarifications

Cyprus Migration Department — MIP2 forms and Regulation 6(2) checklists

Migration Department — 3 March 2026 termination of old-criteria transitional period

Migration Department — 19 March 2026 dependent-student clarification

Department of Lands and Surveys — Contract of Sale and purchaser-protection guidance

Department of Lands and Surveys — 2026 administrative-fines update

Cyprus Tax Department — Tax Residency and Domicility

Ministry of Interior — Citizenship by Naturalisation, Form M127

Important publishing note: This article is written for 2027 planning using the rules officially available on 9 September 2026. Because the Migration Department confirmed in March 2026 that new applications are examined under the criteria in force at the date of submission, this article should be reviewed again if the Government announces a further Regulation 6(2) change before or during 2027.

This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal, tax, investment or financial advice. Eligibility, property structure, source of funds and family circumstances should be checked under the rules in force at the time of application.