Cyprus Permanent Residency by Property Investment: The 2026 Guide

1What "residency by investment" actually means in Cyprus

Cyprus runs a fast-track permanent residency programme under Regulation 6(2) of its immigration law — often marketed as the "Cyprus Golden Visa." In plain terms: make a qualifying investment of at least €300,000, meet the income condition, pass a clean criminal-record check, and you receive a permanent residency permit for yourself and your immediate family. The word permanent is the appeal. Unlike a visa you renew every year, this permit does not expire as long as you keep the investment and meet the conditions. The physical permit card is reissued every ten years, but the status behind it is open-ended.

2The four ways to qualify

The €300,000 threshold can be met through one of four investment categories. Property is by far the most common, but it helps to know the full picture.

3The residential property route, in detail

The residential route is the one this guide focuses on — it's what Spitiko's owners actually use, and the one where what you do after you buy matters. If you go this way, three things define whether your purchase qualifies:

• •It must be new. The €300,000 minimum applies to a first-sale property bought directly from a development company — not a resale on the open market.
• •You can combine up to two units — but from the same developer. You're allowed to reach the €300,000 with two residential properties, provided both are bought from the same development company. Useful if you want a home to live in plus a second apartment to let out.
• •The figure excludes VAT. Budget for VAT on top — typically 19%, though a reduced 5% rate can apply to a primary residence under conditions. Confirm your VAT position before you commit.

4The income rule that disqualifies people

To qualify, the main applicant must show a secured annual income of at least €50,000 — and crucially, it must come from outside Cyprus (pensions, dividends, salary, rents abroad, business profits). Income earned inside Cyprus generally doesn't count toward this threshold. The figure climbs with your family:

5Who counts as family

The permit covers a genuine family unit:

• •Spouse — included on the same application.
• •Children under 18 — automatically included.
• •Adult children up to 25 — if they're unmarried, in full-time education, and financially dependent on you (each needs the extra €10,000 of evidenced income).
• •Children with a disability — may be included regardless of age.

6The process, step by step

From reservation to permit, the fast-track route runs like this:

7Where this leaves your property — and why it matters

Here's the part most residency guides ignore entirely. You have to keep the qualifying property. If it's a home you live in full-time, fine. But many applicants buy from abroad, visit a few weeks a year, and leave a €300,000-plus asset sitting empty the rest of the time — paying its own running costs and earning nothing. That's the gap Spitiko fills. If your qualifying purchase (or the second unit you're allowed to add) is one you don't live in year-round, it can be working as a managed short-term rental — covering its costs and generating income — while it does its job of securing your residency and quietly appreciating.