4 legal ways to get Cyprus Citizenship

Interest in Cypriot citizenship has increased significantly as non-EU citizens use Cyprus as a base for business activities and family life. Also, because of Brexit, many Cypriot origin individuals are applying for Cyprus Passport based on that.

There are four legal ways in which a foreigner can get Cypriot citizenship:

• Marriage to Cypriot
• Cypriot origins
• Naturalization based on years of residence
• Investment Programme (The program has been abolished since 1 November 2020)

In short, to become a Cyprus citizen, you must:

• be married to a Cypriot citizen for at least 3 years or
• have Cyprus roots or
• live in Cyprus for 7 years (2555 days) with a temporary residence permit or 5 years (1825 days) as a permanent resident.

Below is a detailed description of each application type and required documents.

Naturalization scheme based on years of residence

Cyprus citizenship can be obtained by foreigners who have completed a total of 7 years of legal residence in Cyprus (2555 days of staying in Cyprus) before the application date. The applicant must have resided continuously in Cyprus through the last 1 year before applying. In cases of applicants who are children or parents of Cypriot citizens, the time required is 5 years rather than 7.

The same 5 years period requirement applies to holders of permanent residency status or successful applicants of the Cyprus residency by investment program.

How to apply

The applicant must prepare a complete list of entries and departures from Cyprus (based on passport stamps), confirming the above required days of stay. Each family member has to file a separate application and pay the required fee.

As of October 2023, the application processing is estimated to take 2-3 years.

Required documents for M127

• Birth certificate*
• Criminal record*
• Marriage certificate*
• Copies of all the pages of all the passports of the applicant showing arrivals and departures to Cyprus
• List of arrivals and departures
• Newspaper advertisements in two consecutive publications mention that the applicant has applied for naturalization
• Two passport-size photographs stamped by local Muhtar
• CV and work certificate

Government fees

Application submission – €500

Plus, on approval – €500

Cyprus citizenship by marriage

Spouses of Cypriots who have been married for 3 years and have resided in Cyprus for 2 years prior to the application date can obtain citizenship through marriage.

Also, spouses of Cypriots living abroad are entitled to apply when they have completed at least three years of marriage. In this case, the couple must explain why Cypriot citizenship is requested. If the couple has completed five years of marriage and has at least one child, it is unnecessary to provide the above explanation.

Required documents for M125

• Birth certificate of the applicant*
• Certificate of the clean criminal record of the applicant*
• Marriage certificate*
• Birth certificate of the couple’s children*
• Photocopy of the applicant’s passport
• Photocopy of the Cypriot spouse’s passport
• Certificate of acquisition of the Cypriot citizenship of the Cypriot spouse (where applicable)
• Statement of harmonious living signed before an Officer of the District Administration Office or the diplomatic authority 
• Statement of cohabitation from the local authority
• The application should be submitted in duplicate, and one of the two application forms should bear stamps worth €8.54

Government fees for submission – €300

Application processing time is about 1-2 years

Cyprus citizenship by descent

Cyprus citizenship by descent can be obtained in one of six ways, which relate to the date of birth, age, i.e. whether the applicant is a minor or an adult, and parentage, i.e. which parent is Cypriot. The relevant date concerning births is 16 August 1960, when Cyprus gained independence from the UK. The application form, accompanying documents, and fee vary depending on the case. 

The six ways are the following:

• Applicants of male descent, born before August 16, 1960, who are citizens of the UK or its former colonies; Form M71; Government fee: €20 plus stamp.
• Applicants of male descent, born before August 16, 1960, who are not citizens of the UK or its former colonies; Form M72; Government fee: €20 plus stamp.
• Applicants born abroad (consular birth certificate); Form M121; Government fee: €20 plus stamps. A consular birth certificate may be issued to applicants born outside Cyprus after August 16, 1960, whose father or mother was a citizen of Cyprus at the time of birth. If the applicant is a minor, the parents will apply. Once the application is approved, a consular birth certificate will be issued. The applicant or (in the case of minors) the parents will be notified on how to receive it. 
• Applicants born on or after August 16, 1960; Form M123; Government fee: €50 plus stamp. They may be descendants of UK citizens of Cypriot origin or other foreign citizens who could have claimed Cypriot nationality.
• Applicants of Cypriot origin, born before August 16, 1960; Form M124; Government fee: €80 plus stamp. The applicants may be citizens of the UK or the Commonwealth, whose father or mother has Cyprus origin, and who have been living in Cyprus for twelve months before applying.
• Registration of a minor as a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus; Form M126; Government fee: €80 plus stamps. The parents have acquired Cypriot citizenship by registration (origin) or naturalisation (years of legal residence).

Military service

Male individuals between 18 and 45 who acquire Cypriot citizenship must carry out military service if their parents (or one of their parents) are of Cypriot origin. The duration of the service is 14 months.

If they or their parents have lived abroad for more than 10 years, they will do a reduced military service as follows:

• Over 26 years old, the service is 3 months.
• Between 18 and 26 years old, the service is 6 months.

Conscription and recruitment are for July each year. Enlisting is an obligation, so contact your local military office as soon as you get citizenship.

Accompanying documents for M121 and M126

• Birth certificate*
• Marriage certificate of applicant’s parents*
• Passport copy of the applicant and parents
• Certificate of Cypriot citizenship of the Cypriot parent (where applicable)
• Declaration of the foreign parent signed before an officer of the District Administration Office or the diplomatic authority consenting to the granting of Cypriot citizenship to a minor child
• Two photos

Required documents for M123

• Birth certificate of the applicant*
• Marriage certificate of the applicants’ parents*
• Passport copy of the applicant and parents
• Certificate of registration of the Cypriot parent (where applicable)

Government Fees for M123 - €50

Citizenship application submission

The above applications can be submitted to the Civil Registry and Migration Department, the district offices in each city, or at embassies/consulates abroad. The Citizenship Section of the Civil Registry and Migration Department will process all the applications.

If you live outside of Cyprus, you should apply at the Cyprus Embassy in your country.

Upon completing the application process, you may apply for an ID card and a passport.

Documents authentication & translation

Please note that:

The documents with (*) are required to be translated into English or Greek and bear the «APOSTILLE» Stamp OR be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country that will issue them and also by the Cyprus Embassy of that Country and the Ministry of Foreign affairs in Cyprus.

The Press and Information Office, a Consular Authority of the issuing country, or a governmental department/service of the issuing country should do the translation.

Citizenship by Cyprus Investment Program (no longer available)

The government of Cyprus, as part of its policies to attract foreign investment, has established the Cyprus Investment Programme.

Cyprus citizenship by investment program is no longer available for applications in 2023 because it was suspended in 2020. Please check our Cyprus residency by investment program page for the alternative way to get Cypriot citizenship in 5 years.

Dual citizenship in Cyprus

Cyprus allows dual citizenship, meaning individuals can hold Cypriot citizenship alongside another country's citizenship without any restrictions from the Cypriot government.

Our services

• Advice on the required applications regarding documents and eligibility
• Preparation of the application forms (to the extent possible)
• Communication with the Competent Authorities before and after the application
• Assist you with the collection of the required documents
• Submission of the application
• Following the status of the application procedure, inform you of the process
• Assistance in receiving passport and identity card

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