The Republic of Cyprus has made significant amendments to the Civil Registry Law that allows foreign nationals to apply for Cypriot citizenship based on years of residence.
These changes were published towards the end of December 2023 and were introduced with immediate effect.
Find homes in Cyprus via our property portal.
The new ruling
We spoke to immigration expert, George Kosasvili, Associate at Polycarpos Philippou to better understand what these changes mean.
“The recent changes to the Cyprus citizenship law primarily affect the required duration of residency in Cyprus, which has been reduced to 3 and 4 years.
The duration of the examination of the citizenship applications has also been reduced to 8 months for applicants working in a foreign interest company.
The changes also included an additional Greek language test certificate, which is now a required document.”
George said, “Holders of A2 Level Greek should be able to apply within 4 years and B1 within 3 years of residency in Cyprus. Other applicants who are not working in a foreign interest company may apply for citizenship after completing the 7 years of legal residency in Cyprus and are holders of the Greek language test certificate B1 level.”
If you meet the above requirements, why not speak to George today? Enquire here.
Previous Cyprus citizenship eligibility
Previously, you became eligible to apply for full Cypriot citizenship once you had lived in Cyprus for at least seven out of ten years were over the age of 21, had a clean criminal record, and had lived in Cyprus for the year preceding the application.
When you get to Cyprus, there are classes you can enroll in to learn Greek
Cyprus citizenship requirements
You must prove that you have been legally in the Republic for a continuous period that precedes the 12 months from the date you apply for Citizenship. Here is a rough breakdown of the criteria for buyers in Cyprus, once they’ve been in Cyprus for over 10 years:
You need to prove that:
- You must prove that you have been legally in the Republic for a continuous period that precedes the 12 months from the date you apply for Citizenship.
- Provided that you are not outside the Republic for more than 90 days within the period provided, this shall not interrupt the above-mentioned 12-month period
- During the 10 years preceding said 12 months, you were either a lawful resident in the Republic of Cyprus or were in the civil service
You must also be able to demonstrate:
- You’re of good character
- Proficient in Greek
- Sufficient political & social know-how
- Genuine intention to reside in the Republic
- Suitable accommodation and financial stability
At this moment, there is no expected timeframe for the examination of citizenship applications due to the recent amendments and the backlog of the existing applications from 2019 that are still under examination.
For guidance, speak to our trusted partners at Polycarpos Philippou today.
Source: News Cyprus Property Buyers, Polycarpos Philippou, Your Overseas Home
