Yellow Slip in Cyprus

The Cyprus Yellow Slip is a registration certificate for EU/EEA citizens and their family members who are also EU/EEA citizens. It grants residency rights, including access to the labour market and healthcare. To get the Yellow Slip, applicants must submit the MEU1 application form within 4 months of arrival in Cyprus.

Registration is a legal obligation, not a formality. Missing the four-month deadline makes the person liable to a financial penalty of up to €2,500 under Law 7(I)/2007, the law that gives Union citizens and their families the right to move and reside freely in the Republic. The same penalty applies to family members from outside the EU who fail to apply for a residence card.

The application type and forms used to obtain a Yellow Slip differ for European Union citizens and their family members who are not European Union citizens.

The paper MEU1 certificate is a Cyprus residence document and nothing more. It gives no travel right of its own, because an EU citizen already travels on a valid identity card or passport. The plastic MEU2 residence card works differently: holding a valid residence card issued by Cyprus or by another member state exempts a family member from outside the EU from the visa requirement, under Article 5(2) of Directive 2004/38/EC.

How to get a yellow slip in Cyprus?

To obtain a Yellow Slip (Registration Certificate MEU1) in Cyprus, EU/EEA/Swiss citizens staying for more than 3 months must apply within 4 months of entry. The application process involves submitting the MEU1 form with required documents, paying a €20 fee, and taking a photograph. Proof of work or sufficient resources is needed.

EU pensioners register on the same MEU1 form, on proof of sufficient resources rather than employment. Our guides to moving to Cyprus and retiring to Cyprus cover what comes after the registration.

Required documents

The documents required for the registration include:

1. Application forms MEU1 or MEU2, duly completed
2. Copy of a valid passport
3. Marriage Certificate duly certified and translated * (If applicable)
4. Children's Birth Certificates, duly certified and translated * (If applicable)
5. Rental agreement or sale agreement of a house/apartment

   The rental agreement needs to be for a one-year minimum (rental agreement and a copy of it certified by Muhtar or a certifying officer & stamped at the tax office)

6. Bank statements of a bank account in Cyprus or bank statements from abroad (if applicable). The bank statement should cover the last six months and show both the income received and expenditures in Cyprus.
7. If working abroad, bring a confirmation letter from the employer and a payslip
8. If they are working in Cyprus:
   a. Confirmation letter from employer
   b. Social Insurance Registration and an annual income certificate
   c. Employer to sign the application form
9. Health insurance (not needed if working in Cyprus)

   An applicant who is not working in Cyprus has to hold sickness insurance covering all risks in Cyprus, which is a condition of the right of residence beyond three months alongside sufficient resources. An existing international policy is accepted if it meets that test. A policy bought from a Cyprus insurer works too.

Passport photos are unnecessary as they will be taken at the relevant office when you apply.

The documents marked (*) must be translated into English and be «APOSTILLE» OR certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country that will issue them, as well as by the Cyprus Embassy of that country.

Under EU Regulation 2016/1191, public documents (birth and marriage certificates) issued by one EU Member State and presented in another do not require an Apostille or translation if a multilingual standard form is attached.

The complete list of documents for the MEU1 form can be downloaded at Registration of EU citizens - gov.cy

For the MEU2 form, follow the link at EU/EEA Citizens And Family Members - gov.cy

Application procedure

The applicant or their lawyer books the submission date with the office that serves the district where the applicant lives, using the contact details below. Waiting times move with demand, so start the process well inside the four-month window.

The applicant attends the appointment in person. A photograph is captured at submission for the MEU1, and a photograph, fingerprints and a signature for the MEU2 and the MEU3. Children under six give a photograph only. A lawyer can prepare the file and attend the appointment, and the Migration Department publishes an Authorisation of Representative form for the paperwork, but nobody can give the biometrics on the applicant's behalf.

For an MEU2 or MEU3 application the Union citizen has to attend alongside the family member, and show evidence of sufficient resources for the family.

Cyprus government fees

Application for the first-time issuance of a Yellow Slip or its renewal: €20 per family member.

Application submission location

Applications go to the district unit of the Aliens and Immigration Service of the Cyprus Police in the district where the applicant lives. The unit forwards the file to the Migration Department of the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection, which examines it and issues the decision.

The applicant applies in the district where they live. Outside the Nicosia district, the appointment is arranged with the District Unit of the Aliens and Immigration Service of the Police, by email. You will receive a response within five working days.

In the Nicosia district, you deal with the Migration Department directly, at 90 Archbishop Makarios III Avenue, 1077 Nicosia, on 22308808 or 22308811.

Contact details for the other districts:

District	Email	Telephone
Limassol	limetiseis@police.gov.cy	25805650, 25805210
Larnaka	larnacaetiseis@police.gov.cy	24804223, 24804236
Pafos	pafosetiseis@police.gov.cy	26806222, 26806215
Famagusta	famagustaetiseis@police.gov.cy	23803286, 23803288

How to check your application status

The Migration Department runs a one-off SMS service with no registration. Send an SMS to 1199 with the word STATUS, a space, and your application number, for example STATUS 1234/2026. Each message costs under €0.04.

The application number is on the receipt you were given when you paid the fee, form Γ.Λ. 301B. Keep that receipt. It is the same document that lets you stay in Cyprus and re-enter the country during the examination.

What happens if you miss the four-month deadline

Failing to apply for the registration certificate makes the person liable to a financial penalty of up to €2,500. The same applies to a family member from outside the EU who does not apply for the residence card.

Missing the deadline leaves the person exposed to that penalty and without the document that employers, banks, GeSY and the tax office ask for. If you are already past the four months, speak to our Cyprus immigration lawyers before you file.

The four MEU documents compared

Form	Who it is for	What you get	How long it lasts
MEU1	EU, EEA and Swiss citizens, and family members holding the same citizenship	Paper registration certificate	No expiry date
MEU2	Family members from outside the EU	Plastic biometric residence card	Up to five years
MEU3 (EU citizens)	EU, EEA and Swiss citizens after five years	Permanent residence certificate	No expiry date
MEU3 (third country family members)	Family members from outside the EU after five years	Permanent residence card	Ten years, renewable

The fee is €20 in every case.

MEU1, residence permit for EU citizens in Cyprus

The MEU1 is a Registration Certificate for EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens and their family members who are also Union citizens. It is required for stays in Cyprus of more than 3 months and formalises their right to reside in Cyprus. The certificate grants free access to employment and does not expire.

Download the MEU1 form from the Migration Department: MEU1 application form and supporting documents list.

The department revised every application form in March 2026. From 2 April 2026 it accepts only the revised versions, so take the file from the department's own page rather than from a copy stored anywhere else.

Processing time: the Migration Department examines the MEU1 application and issues a decision within one month at the latest, provided the form is complete and every supporting document is there. On approval the paper registration certificate is posted to the address the applicant declared. A rejection letter goes to the same address, which is why keeping that address current matters.

MEU1 in Cyprus after Brexit

UK nationals can still move to and live in Cyprus after Brexit if they obtained a residence permit (MEU1, MEU2, MEU3) before December 31, 2020, or acquire a new residence permit. These residence permits can be temporary, such as student permits, or permanent, such as investor immigration permits or Category F permits.

MEU2, application form for non-EU citizens in Cyprus

The MEU2 is the application form for a residence card for third-country national family members (e.g., spouse, dependent children) of EU/EEA/Swiss citizens. This card is needed for stays in Cyprus of more than 3 months, grants free employment access, and is typically valid for 5 years.

Download the MEU2 form from the Migration Department: MEU2 application form and supporting documents list.

Processing time for MEU2

The Migration Department examines the MEU2 application and issues its decision within six months at the latest, provided the form is complete and every supporting document is there. A file with gaps in it falls outside that limit.

On approval the applicant is notified to collect the residence card in person.

However, once the application is submitted, applicants can remain in Cyprus and re-enter if they travel with their application receipts.

The applicant will be issued a plastic biometric residency card, not a paper certificate, though both serve the same residency purpose. EU citizens will receive a registration certificate.

MEU3, application form for EU/EEA citizens and members of their families who are also EU/EEA citizens

The MEU3 is the application form for a Permanent Residence Certificate in Cyprus. It is for EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens, plus their EU family members, after five years of uninterrupted legal residence in Cyprus. This certificate confirms their right to permanent stay and does not expire.

There are two MEU3 forms. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens use the MEU3 form for EU citizens. Family members from outside the EU use the MEU3 form for third country family members.

Family member covers the spouse, a partner in a registered civil union, direct descendants who are under 21 or are financially dependent, the same descendants of the spouse or partner, and financially dependent parents and grandparents of either partner.

A child under 21 qualifies whether or not the child is dependent. A child of 21 or over qualifies on proof of dependence.

A family member from outside the EU who has lived in Cyprus lawfully for five uninterrupted years applies on the MEU3 form for third country family members. The document issued is a permanent residence card valid for ten years, renewable on application, and the fee is €20.

The Migration Department completes its examination and issues a decision within six months at the latest for MEU3 applications from third country family members. The applicant is notified to collect the card in person. The Union citizen must attend the submission appointment alongside the family member.

Permanent residence for EU citizens after five years

Five uninterrupted years of lawful residence in Cyprus gives an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen the right of permanent residence. The document is the permanent residence certificate on the MEU3 form, it costs €20, and it has no expiry date.

A family member from outside the EU reaches the same milestone on the same five years and applies on the MEU3 form for third country family members. That document is a card rather than a certificate, it is valid for ten years, and it is renewed on application.

Third country nationals who are not family members of an EU citizen follow a different route. See Cyprus permanent residency for the fast-track and Category F options, and long-term resident status after five years for the EU-wide status.

What are the yellow slip benefits?

Benefits of the Yellow Slip in Cyprus include:

• Full rights of stay and re-entry.
• Full access to the labour market with full employment rights, work, and engagement in business activities. Generally, the Yellow Slip entitles its holder to the same rights as a Cypriot citizen.
• Registering with GeSY is the second benefit of having a Yellow Slip in Cyprus. GeSY is a national health system that ensures all residents have access to good healthcare. More than 90% of Cyprus residents are registered with it, on the June 2024 count of 969,722 beneficiaries. Once registered, Yellow Slip holders can receive various medical services, including regular check-ups and specialised treatments. This extensive healthcare coverage makes having a Yellow Slip in Cyprus a great advantage.

Cyprus yellow slip validity

The Yellow Slip for European Union citizens does not expire. The residency card for non-EU family members is valid for 5 years. On expiry, the applicant can apply for renewal.

How to renew a yellow slip in Cyprus?

A family member from outside the EU whose residence card was issued for less than five years and who is staying on must apply to renew it at least one month before it expires, with the documents and certificates the first registration needed. The Yellow Slip (MEU1) for EU citizens does not expire, so it does not need to be renewed.

A holder who reaches five uninterrupted years of lawful residence applies for permanent residence on the MEU3 form instead of renewing, and receives a permanent residence card valid for ten years.

Absences do not break the card. Temporary absences of up to six months a year are allowed, as are longer absences for compulsory military service and one absence of up to twelve consecutive months for reasons such as pregnancy and childbirth, serious illness, study, vocational training or a posting abroad. Longer than that and the card is revoked.

What a yellow slip does not give you

The yellow slip is a residence document, not a nationality. It does not make the holder a Cypriot citizen and it does not shorten the naturalisation period. See how to get Cyprus citizenship for the routes and the qualifying years.

It is not the ARC number either. The ARC, or Alien Registration Certificate number, is the identifier Cyprus assigns to foreign residents, and it is a separate thing from the registration certificate.

On travel, see the note at the top of this page. A Cyprus residence document is not a Schengen visa, and the country-by-country position is set out in which countries you can visit with a Cyprus residence permit.

Cyprus yellow slip and Brexit

UK citizens arriving in Cyprus post-2021 cannot apply for a Yellow Slip/MEU1. They are Third Country Nationals and must apply for a Pink Slip or Category F, unless they are family members of an EU national.

A UK national taking a job with a Cyprus company of foreign interest applies through the work permit route instead.

UK citizens and their family members who had a Yellow Slip before Brexit remain unaffected. If they have resided in Cyprus for five or more years, they have the right to permanent residence.

They can optionally complete form UKW1 to replace their existing documents with the new residence document issued on or after January 1, 2021. The form UKW1 is filled out by UK nationals and their family members who are also UK nationals.

Family members of a UK national who are not UK or EU citizens are in a different position. They may keep using their MEU2 residence card until it expires, and they are required to apply for the new residence document on form UKW2 under the Withdrawal Agreement.

The residence document issued under UKW 1 & 2 is valid for 5 years. Then, UK nationals and their family members can apply for permanent residence using UKW3.

For more information, please visit the official website at UK citizens and family members - gov.cy.