CyprusResidence

Cyprus permanent residence: long-term residence and immigration permits

Long-term residence permit and immigration permit

In short

The Republic of Cyprus offers two paths to permanent status for non-EU nationals. A long-term residence permit can be requested after five years of legal and continuous stay, with stable financial means and health insurance. An immigration permit, a form of permanent residence permit granted by the Civil Registry and Migration Department, is available for permanent employment, for staff with qualifications in demand and for self-employed persons.

checked 24 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Permanent status.
Work
Depends on the permit; immigration permits are tied to the approved activity.
Family
Family members who lived in Cyprus for 5 years can apply for long-term residence themselves.
Path to permanent residence
Long-term residence after 5 years of legal and continuous stay.
Where to apply
In Cyprus, at the CRMD.

Immigration permits

An immigration permit is a type of permanent residence permit issued by the Civil Registry and Migration Department. A worker who has been offered permanent employment that does not create undue local competition may apply for one.

People who intend to work for a company of foreign interests, or to practise a profession or science as self-employed persons, may also apply, provided they hold academic or professional qualifications in demand in Cyprus. Self-employed applicants in business, mining or agriculture must show unencumbered capital of EUR 256,000, EUR 342,000 or EUR 427,000 respectively.

Long-term residence after five years

Employed workers, highly qualified staff, self-employed persons and family members are all entitled to apply for a long-term residence permit after five years of legal and continuous stay in Cyprus. You must show stable financial means, health insurance and that you did not secure residence by fraud.

Not every year counts. Time spent in Cyprus as a trainee is expressly excluded from the residence period for long-term or permanent residence. Workers should also keep in mind that a permit is not renewed after three changes of employer, which interrupts the residence period.

What to prepare

For long-term residence, the core evidence is your residence history over five years, proof of stable financial means such as salary or business income, and health insurance. For an immigration permit based on employment, the permanent job offer and evidence that it does not create undue competition for local workers are central; for self-employment, the capital and the business plan.

The EU Immigration Portal pages for Cyprus do not list a fee or a processing time for either permit, so applicants confirm both with the CRMD.

Required documents

Identity

  • Valid passport and current residence permit.

Money

  • Proof of stable financial means.

Insurance

  • Health insurance.

Other

  • Evidence of five years of legal and continuous residence.

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Work

  • For an immigration permit: permanent job offer, proof of qualifications in demand, or capital for self-employment.

Losing an immigration permit

An immigration permit stays valid permanently, but it lapses if the holder does not take up residence within one year of the grant, does not take up the professional activity or lives outside Cyprus for two years or longer.

Holders who plan long periods abroad should therefore keep their main residence in Cyprus and their activity running.

Appeals

Decisions of the CRMD on residence and immigration permits can be challenged before the Administrative Court.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Count your years of legal and continuous residence, excluding time as a trainee.
  2. Choose between long-term residence and an immigration permit.
  3. Collect proof of stable means and health insurance, or the job offer or capital for an immigration permit.
  4. Submit the application to the CRMD and confirm the fee.
  5. Keep your current permit valid while the application is examined.

Frequently asked questions

When can I get permanent residence in Cyprus?

After five years of legal and continuous stay you can apply for a long-term residence permit. An immigration permit can be granted earlier for permanent employment, qualifications in demand or self-employment.

Does time as a trainee count?

No. Residence as a trainee is not counted towards long-term or permanent residence.

Can I lose an immigration permit?

Yes, if you do not settle within one year, do not start the activity or live outside Cyprus for two years or more.

What must I show for long-term residence?

Stable financial means, health insurance and that your residence was not obtained by fraud.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Cyprus

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Maximum stay: For the duration of the full-time programme, through yearly permits.
  • Researcher visa Maximum stay: For the term of the hosting agreement, through renewable permits.
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: 6 months, renewable once for the length of the training agreement.

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: Up to 4 years in most jobs; no maximum for farming, domestic work, specialty cooks, priests and tourist representatives.
  • Skilled worker visa Maximum stay: No limit on the total period of residence; renewable permits.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Up to 3 years for managers and specialists; 1 year for trainee employees.
  • Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: Up to 4 months, extendable by a further 4 months, according to the EU Immigration Portal.

Family

Protection

Cyprus visa guide