Permanent Residence Permit for EU citizens

| 16 Aug 2017

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Applying for a permanent residence permit for EU citizens is a process which has to be completed by every EU citizen living and working in cyprus.

EU Citizens entering the Republic of Cyprus to work and who will spend more than three (3) months on the island will need to register with the relevant authorities in Cyprus for a permanent residence permit for EU citizens.

Given the above, the following matters and actions are applicable in order to apply for a permanent residence permit for EU citizens:

  • The procedure is initiated by the completion of the MEU1 form (available in both Greek and English), which must be signed by both the Employer and the Employee (if the EU national will be taking up employment). The following documents must also be supplied concurrently with the application:
    • Two passport-sized photos of the applicant.
    • Valid passport or valid Identity Card (to be presented to the authorities).
    • Certificate of Medical Insurance in the Republic (this needs to cover inpatient and outpatient matters in the Republic of Cyprus).
    • Rental Agreement.
    • Payment of about EUR 20. 
  • The application for the permanent residence permit for EU citizens must be submitted before the expiration of the 3-month period to the Civil Registration and Migration Department (a fine is applicable in case of late application).
  • It is noted that the presence of each applicant shall be required at the Immigration Department in order to file the relevant application for the permanent residence permit for EU citizens.
  • Although not required under the application process, a copy of the employment agreement (if applicable) would also be useful for filing purposes (based on past experience, the authorities will sometimes request this).
  • On the basis of our past experience, the registration certificate (“yellow-slip”) is issued within a time period of between 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on the backlog of the Immigration Department. These timeframes are given by way of an indicative reference.
  • The members of the family of a European national have the right to exercise an employment or self-employment activity in the Republic of Cyprus. This permit should be reviewed after a period of two years from the date of issue.
  • In case nationals of EU Member States wish to pursue a profession that is regulated in Cyprus such as lawyer, medical doctor, accountant, engineer, electrician etc, by legislation determining the specific necessary qualifications and the procedure for acquiring the right to pursue the profession, then such person should contact the competent body responsible for the relevant application of the specific profession in order to acquire the relevant permit, in the same way a Cypriot national would.

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