How to get a visitor visa in Cyprus?
The easiest way to relocate to the Republic of Cyprus is to obtain a visitor visa. The registration for this status requires the applicant to have a stable income from abroad. This may be a salary from a foreign company, income from rental property abroad, dividends, etc.
Anastasia Piperidou, Attorney at Law
Dmitry Khenkin, co-founder and director of the Consulco group
CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURE OF REGISTRATION
— For how long is a visitor visa valid?
— For one year with the right to renew
— Does the main applicant have the right to work in the Republic of Cyprus?
— No.
— Do spouses of holders of visitor visas have the right to work in Cyprus?
— No.
– Do I need a bank account in a Cypriot bank to apply for a visitor visa?
- Yes. This is a requirement.
— Are there any requirements for a minimum bank balance for those who apply for a visitor visa?
– At the time of applying for a visitor visa, the account must have at least 10,000 euros for the main applicant (and it is recommended to have 5,000 euros for each dependent family member). Confirmation (SWIFT) is required that this amount has been transferred from abroad, or customs declarations, in case of a cash deposit.
— Is it necessary to show a stable income from abroad?
– The holder of a residence permit of this category must have a stable and sufficient income from abroad in order to cover his living expenses in Cyprus. It is necessary to demonstrate monthly income: from 2000 euros for the main applicant; +20% on spouse +15% per child
— Do I need to take out health insurance when submitting a package of documents?
- Yes, for each family member. The insurance certificate must cover the costs of medical evacuation of the insured from the territory of Cyprus in case of medical necessity and transportation of the body to the country of origin / citizenship in the event of death of the insured in Cyprus.
— Do I need to take medical tests?
— Yes.
— Do I need to issue a letter of guarantee in the bank?
- Yes. For each family member. The amount of the guarantee in case of deportation is 550 euros.
— What are the requirements for documents?
– All documents or their official copies issued by the authorities or organizations of other countries must be translated into English, notarized and apostilled. For documents from the Russian Federation and Israel, an apostille is not needed.
— Is a certificate of clean criminal record required?
- Yes. The authorities of the Republic of Cyprus accept both paper and electronic versions. The paper version must be translated into English, notarized and apostilled, and the electronic version should only be translated.
— What is the required validity of documents?
– Medical tests must be taken within four months before the submission of documents. They can be taken in Cyprus. The certificate of clean criminal must be issued within the last six months.
— What is the required validity of passports?
– Passports of the applicant and dependent family members must be valid for at least 3 months on the date of submission.
- Is the application for visitor visas submitted for the whole family at once?
- Yes. The application and documents for a visitor visa for family members (spouse and children) can be submitted simultaneously with the main applicant.
— What are the requirements for being in Cyprus?
— The holder cannot be absent from the country for more than 90 days in a row. If this period is exceeded, the visitor visa is cancelled, and entry into Cyprus with it becomes impossible.
— When does the legal stay in Cyprus begin for a holder of a visitor visa?
— From the moment the immigration authorities accept the application
— What is the approximate time frame for issuing a visitor visa by the immigration authorities of the Republic of Cyprus after submitting a package of documents?
– The waiting period to apply for a visa through the online system (Migration Board), is up to 2,5 months. Once the application is complete and the documents for the visa have been submitted, the plastic residence permit card will take 4 to 6 months to be issued. However, until the residence permit card is issued, the documents and receipt of payment from the Migration Board hold a legal immigration status.
- Is it possible to change the visa category later (for example, from visitor to working)?
- Yes. This can be done while in Cyprus (the process of changing status will take up to 6 months). The second option is to leave Cyprus and check in again in 10-14 days.
— What are the requirements for a rental agreement?
– A lease agreement for a residential building or apartment must be signed for at least one year and certified in accordance with the established procedure by a representative of the community (mukhtar). It is also necessary to pay a state duty (Stamp Duty).
— When can I apply for citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus?
— After seven years of legal residence in the Republic of Cyprus.
— Does the time spent in Cyprus as a visitor count towards the required term for a Cypriot passport?
— Yes.
— What are the requirements for the application process?
— A separate application is required for each family member.
— Does the application for visitor visas apply for the whole family at once?
— No. First, the package of documents is submitted by the main applicant. After receiving a document with the migration status of a visitor, applications are submitted for dependent family members.
— How can you apply for an entry permit to the Republic of Cyprus?
— Obtain a Cyprus tourist visa.
— Do I need a bank account in a Cypriot bank to apply for a visitor visa?
— Yes. This is a mandatory requirement.
— What are the minimum bank balance requirements for those applying for a visitor visa?
— At the time of applying for a visitor visa, there should be about 10,000 euros in the account.
— Do I need to show stable income from abroad?
— The holder of a residence permit of this category must have a stable income of 30,000 euros per year from abroad. For dependent family members, the holder needs to show another 5,000 euros per year and 8,000 euros for each parent.
— What is the required validity of documents?
—The passports of the applicant and dependent family members must be valid on the date of submission.
— Is a certificate of clean criminal record required?
— Yes.
— What is the approximate time frame for issuing a visitor visa by the immigration authorities of the Republic of Cyprus after submitting a package of documents?
— Four to five months.
— Is it possible to change the category of a visa later (for example, from a visitor to a work visa)?
— Yes.
— Do I need to take medical tests?
— Yes.
— Do I need to take out health insurance when submitting a package of documents?
— Yes, for every member of the family.
— Do I need to issue a letter of guarantee from a bank?
— Yes, for every member of the family.
— When can I apply for citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus?
— After seven years of legal residence in the Republic of Cyprus.
— Does the time spent in Cyprus as a visitor count towards the required term for a Cypriot passport?
— Yes.
EXPENSES
State fees and medical insurance for an applicant for a visitor visa - 540 euros
Registration fee, medical tests, insurance, letter of guarantee
• for a family of two - 1080 euros
• for a family of three - 1620 euros
Registration fee at the Migration Department when processing documents
applicant - 140 euros
dependent family member – 140 euros
Medical tests for one person – 100 euros
Medical insurance - 150 euros per year
Bank fee when issuing a letter of guarantee - 150 euros
The amount of the bank guarantee (deposited in the bank and blocked for 10 years*) – 550 euros for each family member
* Refund - after the expiration of the guarantee or after its owner moves for permanent residence from the Republic of Cyprus to another country
Revenue stamps on a rental agreement - (for example, 2000 euros per month for a period of one year) - 28 euros