A free PDF guide — permanent residence with no investment
A guide to Cyprus permanent residencefor financially independent persons
Permanent residence with no expiry and no investment: what is evidenced is income from abroad. We set out what sums pass in practice, what the department weighs and why consideration is slow.
- PDF in English
- Free of charge
- Verified on 12.08.2026
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The department lays down no published income figure. The sums given are a mark from practice, not a guarantee of approval.
01 / The essentials first
What to know about Cyprus permanent residence by income
Four things that set it apart from Cypriot permanent residence by investment.
- This is permanent residence from the start, not a temporary status
Cyprus permanent residence for financially independent persons has no expiry and no yearly renewals - a rare feature among income-based statuses.
- No investment is required
Unlike the Cypriot permanent residence for property buyers, no property has to be bought here: what is evidenced is income from abroad.
- No income figure has been published
The migration department judges for itself whether the income is enough. Our marks come from approved cases in practice, not from an official rate.
- You may not work in Cyprus
The category is built for living on income from abroad. Employment and business on the island are not permitted on it.
02 / Income
What income to show the department
Choose the kind of file and the family: we will show the marks and the costs of the process.
03 / The family
How the marks grow with the family
There is no published scale: these are the sums that pass in practice.
The values were checked against the official material on 12.08.2026. Only the rows for which there is no official wording are marked separately.
| Criterion | OneA single applicant | A coupleThe applicant and a spouse |
|---|---|---|
| The income taken as the markA BRIDGES estimate | from €9,568 a year | from €14,181 a year |
| The source of the income | from abroad only | from abroad only |
| Investment | not required | not required |
| The status | permanent, with no renewals | permanent, with no renewals |
| Work in Cyprus | not permitted | not permitted |
| How long consideration takesA BRIDGES estimate | 6-12 months | 6-12 months |
| Keeping the status | a visit once every 2 years | a visit once every 2 years |
- The income taken as the markA BRIDGES estimate
- from €9,568 a year
- from €14,181 a year
- The source of the income
- from abroad only
- from abroad only
- Investment
- not required
- not required
- The status
- permanent, with no renewals
- permanent, with no renewals
- Work in Cyprus
- not permitted
- not permitted
- How long consideration takesA BRIDGES estimate
- 6-12 months
- 6-12 months
- Keeping the status
- a visit once every 2 years
- a visit once every 2 years
The income has to come from outside Cyprus: work on the island is not allowed in this category.
04 / The country
What the country looks like
Briefly about the country and about what sets the terms of the status.
- The essentials firstThe key facts of the programme: what decides the matter.
- A comparisonThe thresholds and the terms of the programme in one table.
- How the work runsThe process step by step — from the check to the documents.
- The analysisWhat is checked before the status is granted.
- The limitsWhat affects the timings, the costs and keeping the status.
- Your teamWho runs the case and what each specialist answers for.
05 / The order of work
How the process runs
The case is filed in Cyprus and considered slowly — that has to be allowed for in the plans.
- The income is assessed
We look at what the income from abroad consists of and how steady it is: the department judges your ability to keep yourself without working on the island.
- Housing in Cyprus
A lease or a purchase: the address is part of the pack of documents.
- Building the file
Income certificates, bank statements, no criminal record, medical insurance, the family’s documents.
- Filing with the migration department
The application is filed in Cyprus, the case is given a number and goes for consideration.
- Waiting for the decision
Consideration takes 6-12 months: the department may ask for further documents.
- The permit and the card
Once approved a permanent permit is granted and the residence card issued.
07 / The check
What the department examines
The income and its foreign source, the absence of work on the island, the housing and the family’s documents.
- Income from abroad
A pension, rent, dividends, interest: the regularity and the foreign source are evidenced.
- No employment in Cyprus
The applicant confirms that they will not work or run a business on the island.
- Housing and an address
A lease or a title deed showing the address where you will live.
- No criminal record, and insurance
Apostilled certificates and medical cover for the whole period.
The decision is a matter of judgement: the fuller the evidence of income, the fewer the queries and the sooner the outcome.
08 / The limits
What to take into account in advance
Five limits that bear on the decision and on keeping the status.
The income figures are not publishedThe decision is a matter of judgement
The department publishes no rate: identical files can meet with different decisions.
You may not workForeign income only
Employment in Cyprus is not allowed in this category.
Consideration is slow6-12 months
This is one of the slowest categories: allow plenty of time when planning the move.
The status can be lostAn absence of more than 2 years
The permanent permit is cancelled if you stay away from the island for long.
Not a direct path to citizenshipYears of residence are needed
Naturalisation requires actual residence and is considered separately.
09 / Your team
Who runs your case
The work is led by specialists who file cases with the Cypriot migration department.
The editorial record
The material was prepared and checked by
- First published
- 12 August 2026
- Last updated
- 12 August 2026
The official sources
- The Civil Registry and Migration Department of CyprusCivil Registry and Migration Department · checked 12.08.2026How to apply for permanent residence and the set of documents.
- Rules for permanent residence for financially independent personsThe Government of the Republic of Cyprus · checked 12.08.2026The legal basis of the category for people with a secured income from abroad.
- BRIDGES GLOBAL practice on approved casesBRIDGES GLOBAL · checked 12.08.2026The income marks: the department publishes no official figure.
10 / Common questions
Questions about Cyprus permanent residence by income
How much income is needed?
There is no official figure. On the practice of approved cases the mark is from €9,568 a year for the applicant and from €14,181 for a couple.
Do I have to buy property?
No. For this income-based permanent residence route, rented housing is enough.
May I work in Cyprus?
No. The income has to come from abroad, and employment on the island is not permitted in this category.
Is this a temporary status?
No, it is permanent residence with no expiry. But if you are away from the island for more than 2 years the status is cancelled.
Who is included in the application?
A spouse and minor children take the status together with the applicant.
How long does consideration take?
6-12 months. It is the slowest part of the process, and it cannot be hurried.
Does the status give the Schengen area?
No, Cyprus is not yet in the Schengen area, though it is a member of the European Union.
What about tax?
Tax residence is settled separately on the number of days; Cyprus has special regimes for new residents.
Free of charge
Take the guide and an assessment of your income
We will send the PDF with the requirements and a preliminary assessment of your file.
- What sums pass in practice
- The requirements on the source of the income
- How to file and the real timings
- How the permanent status is kept