Cyprus golden visa in 2026: what exists and what does not

The short answer

• No passport for investment. The Cyprus Investment Programme stopped taking applications on 1 November 2020; the law behind it was repealed in December 2025.
• Permanent residency by investment exists: €300,000 plus VAT in a new home from a developer, €50,000 a year of income from abroad, and no work in Cyprus.
• A visitor permit, often called the pink slip, lets you live in Cyprus for a year at a time, renewable, on €24,000 a year from abroad, without working.
• The digital nomad visa is for people working remotely for employers or clients abroad, with at least €3,500 a month net.

Citizenship by investment: closed

The Cyprus Investment Programme gave passports for investments of €1 million to €2.5 million. After an Al Jazeera investigation in October 2020, the government announced it would close the programme from 1 November 2020. An inquiry later found that 53% of the 6,779 citizenships granted under it were unlawful.

The law that set up the programme was abolished with effect from 12 December 2025, and the European Commission closed its infringement case against Cyprus on 11 March 2026. Any offer of a Cypriot passport in exchange for buying property today is not genuine.

Citizenship is still possible through residence: under the 2023 law, normally 8 years of legal residence in the last 11, with Greek at B1. See permanent residency by property for the details.

Permanent residency by investment (Regulation 6(2))

This is what most people now mean by the Cyprus golden visa. Under Regulation 6(2) of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations, an investor from outside the EU and their family get an immigration permit, a permanent residence permit, through a fast procedure. The criteria in force are the fourth revision, of 2 May 2023:

• €300,000 plus VAT in a house or apartment bought new from a developer, or in other property, a Cyprus company or a Cyprus fund. Since 2023 at least €300,000 must be paid before you apply, with the money coming from abroad.
• €50,000 a year of secure income from abroad, plus €15,000 for a spouse and €10,000 for each child.
• No employment in Cyprus for you or your spouse, other than as a director of a company you invested in.
• Visit at least once every two years. The right of residence is lost after two years' absence.
• Fees: €500 per application, plus €70 for each person's alien registration certificate. Processing is estimated at about two months.

A later clarification eased the monitoring. Holders no longer prove their income every year, and clean criminal records are due every three years instead of annually. Proof that you still hold the investment, and health insurance if you are outside the national health system, are still due each year.

Applications go to the Migration Department and are decided by the Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection. The full rules, family members and documents are in permanent residency by property.

Permanent residency vs the visitor permit vs the nomad visa

Sources: Migration Department pages on immigration permits for investors, visitors and digital nomads (gov.cy, December 2025). The digital nomad scheme is capped at 500 permits; in December 2025 the Migration Department said it was accepting applications again. Check that places remain before you plan around it.

Which one fits

• You want a permanent base and are buying anyway: permanent residency. It is the only route that does not need renewing every year or two.
• You want to try Cyprus first: a visitor permit, renewed yearly. You can apply for permanent residency later if you buy.
• You work remotely and earn at least €3,500 a month: the digital nomad visa, if places remain.
• You are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen: you need none of these and can live in Cyprus under EU free movement.

None of these permits makes you tax resident by itself. Tax follows the days you spend in Cyprus: more than 183 in a year, or the 60-day rule if you also have a home and a business or job here. Take tax advice before you move.

Oniro homes and the €300,000 threshold

Apartments at Aegea Views in Agios Athanasios start from €335,000 plus VAT and are sold new by the developer, so one apartment can meet the €300,000 threshold for a new home. Your lawyer confirms the full file before you apply.