Offices
+36 70 421 32 63

Updated

GL-A-08

Glossary · Cyprus PR

Apostille for Cyprus - preparing documents for PR

A stamp that lets a document from one country be accepted in another without consular legalisation

Cyprus PR programme
€5apostille in Cyprus
2,500 ₽apostille in Russia
up to 5 daysin Russia, working days

01 / In 30 seconds

The short answer

What it is
A stamp that lets a document from one country be accepted in another without consular legalisation
Who issues it
Only the country and authority that issued the document
Cost
€5 in Cyprus; elsewhere at local rates, roughly €30 per document
Why it matters for PR
Certificates, records and tax returns from abroad are filed with an apostille and a translation

02 / In plain words

What Apostille for Cyprus means

An apostille is a special stamp under the Hague Convention. It confirms the signature and seal on a document, so another member country accepts it without consular legalisation. Cyprus and our clients' home countries are members.

Only the country that issued the document can apostille it, usually the same region or authority that issued it. A Russian birth certificate is apostilled by the civil registry office of the region where it was issued. In Cyprus the Ministry of Justice issues apostilles for a €5 fee.

For Cyprus permanent residence you need apostilles on police certificates, marriage and birth certificates, tax returns and powers of attorney signed before a notary abroad. The order never changes: original, apostille in the issuing country, translation in Cyprus, filing.

A simple example

A Russian client orders a paper police certificate with an apostille and has the marriage certificate apostilled at the registry office of the region where the marriage was registered (2,500 ₽, up to 5 working days). Both documents arrive in Cyprus and a sworn translator translates them together with the apostilles.

Which PR documents need an apostille

  • Police certificates of the applicant and spouse
  • Marriage and children's birth certificates
  • Tax return or auditor's income certificate
  • A power of attorney signed before a notary abroad
  • Cypriot documents to be used in another country

03 / What it covers

Key points about the apostille

01

Who issues it

  • The issuing country
  • The issuing region or authority
  • In Cyprus - the Ministry of Justice
02

Time and cost

  • Cyprus €5
  • Russia 2,500 ₽, up to 5 working days
  • Other countries at their own rates
03

Not accepted

  • Laminated documents
  • Damaged originals
  • E-certificates without a paper apostille
04

Order

  • Apostille first
  • Then sworn translation
  • Then filing

04 / How it works

How a document gets to the application

Step 1

Original

We find the original or order a duplicate if it is laminated or damaged.

Step 2

Apostille

Issued in the country and region where the document was issued.

Step 3

Sent to Cyprus

The apostilled document is passed to us.

Step 4

Translation

A sworn translator translates the document together with the apostille.

Step 5

Filing

The document goes into the Migration Department package.

05 / Key facts

What matters

01Who issues it

The issuing country

Cyprus cannot apostille a Russian or Israeli certificate. Only the country that issued the document can.

02Cost in Cyprus

€5 per document

Apostilles on Cypriot documents are issued by the Ministry of Justice or a Citizen Service Centre.

03Cost in Russia

2,500 ₽

Up to 5 working days. An extra check can make it longer.

04Order

Apostille before translation

The translation covers the apostille. Translate too early and you will have to order it again.

Common mistakes

Sending a document for translation without an apostille

Apostille first, translation second. Otherwise the translation is redone and paid for twice.

Trying to apostille a document in another region

The issuing region applies the apostille. The fix is a duplicate certificate in your city or a notarised copy with an apostille, which we check in advance.

Bringing a laminated certificate

Laminated documents cannot be apostilled. We order a duplicate in the first week.

06 / Expert advice

Anna Kovalevskaya

How to prepare in advance

In the first week gather the original certificates, check that none are laminated and note where each was issued. We will draw up a list: which document, where to apostille it and by when.

What we do for you. We plan the apostille for every family document, check originals before they are sent and pass them straight to a sworn translator.

Anna KovalevskayaLead lawyer for EU citizenship and residency, 12 years of practice

07 / Questions

Frequently asked questions

A Hague Convention stamp that lets a document from one country be accepted in another without consular legalisation.

Only the Russian authority responsible for it, usually in the region of issue.

€5 per document, issued by the Cyprus Ministry of Justice.

The apostille, then the sworn translation in Cyprus.

Yes, if the document is foreign and filed as an official one. An English document usually needs no translation.

No. You need to order a duplicate certificate.

Cyprus PR glossary

Related terms

Author: Anna Kovalevskaya

Reviewed by: Sergey Evdokimov

Sources: Cyprus Ministry of Justice - apostille and signature certification, Cyprus Migration Department, gov.cy - forms and document lists

INITIAL ASSESSMENT

Tell us what outcome your family needs

We will design a solution for your case, choose the country and the right status, and take the whole process through to the result.

Or message us on WhatsApp or Telegram

Anna Kovalevskaya, lead lawyer at BRIDGES GLOBAL
Anna KovalevskayaLead lawyer, citizenship and residency, 12 years of practice