As we have reported in the past, one of the elements of the Action Plan presented by the Cyprus government for attracting companies to establish or expand presence in Cyprus was the revision of the policy for granting of Cyprus citizenship.
On 22 March 2024, the Ministry of Interior announced further clarifications regarding the amended provisions of the Civil Registry Law regarding naturalisation. The main clarifications are presented below.
Knowledge of the Greek language, based on the levels determined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) of the EU Council, will need to be proven by succeeding in the exams run by the Center of Greek Language of the Hellenic Republic through the Examinations Service of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth of the Republic of Cyprus (MOE).
Basic knowledge of the country’s history and political/social status will need to be proven by a Certificate of Success with a grade at least 60%. Such certificate can be obtained through the Examinations Service of the MOE, after a successful examination.
For the place of residence, supporting documents which can be provided are the Title Deed of the property or the property purchase agreement and receipts for payment, in case of purchase, or the rental agreement and receipts for payment of the rental charge in case of rental. For both cases proof of payment of utility bills are also needed.
For income sufficiency, supporting documents which can be provided are the payslip, the employment agreement, proof of payment of Social Insurance contributions, Income Tax Return, bank statements or any other document which can support the income of the applicant.
Qualifying companies which employ highly skilled and qualified individuals are companies of foreign interests, either already active in Cyprus or wishing to set up in the country, and which are/will be operating from their own premises (separate from any other office or private residence), as well as for local interest companies in specific areas of economic activity, namely:
Companies already registered in the Registry of Companies of Foreign Interests of the Civil Registry and Migration Department are also considered as qualifying companies.
Highly qualified employees, are defined as:
Persons in the second category will need to present a confirmation either by the Business Facilitation Unit or the Civil Registry and Migration Department to certify that the employer is a qualifying company.
