Cyprus · Temporary Residence
Cyprus Residence Permits for Startup Founders
Approval from the Deputy Ministry opens the door, but founders still need a residence and work permit from the Migration Department. Deadlines for filing differ for applicants abroad and those already living in Cyprus.
- Startup route
- Cyprus Startup Visa
- Minimum capital
- No fixed minimum; innovation score or EUR 1M revenue
- Permanent residence
- 5 years for long-term resident status
- Citizenship
- 7 of 10 years plus 12 months; Greek at B1
Residence permit under the Cyprus Startup Visa Scheme
Status: Tied to the Startup Visa Scheme, valid until December 2026
Initial approval from the Deputy Ministry does not by itself give a right of entry, residence or work. Founders approved while abroad have six months to apply for a visa through a Cyprus consulate or the Migration Department, which answers within three weeks of a complete submission. Those already living legally in Cyprus apply within one month, and an approved permit is valid for one year from the date of the approval notice. Every permit and renewal requires a photo, fingerprints and signature, captured at submission or within one week at the district immigration unit of the police. The department sends a collection notice on approval and a letter with reasons on refusal.
- First permit
- In-country: valid 1 year from the approval notice
- Government fee
- EUR 120 entry and residence permit; EUR 130 issue or renewal
- Registration
- EUR 70 for first entry in the Aliens' Register
- Processing time
- About 3 weeks after a complete submission
- Family
- Immediate residence right plus family reunification
- Work rights
- Founders work in their own registered company
Requirements
- A valid Notification of Initial Approval from the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy.
- Supporting documents officially translated and duly certified, filed at the Migration Department headquarters in Nicosia.
- Biometric data, meaning photo, fingerprints and signature, captured at filing or within one week at the police district immigration unit.
- Payment of the entry, permit and registration fees that apply to the applicant.
- Visitors already in Cyprus first file a written request to change their residence status.
How to apply
- Obtain the Notification of Initial Approval from the Deputy Ministry.
- Apply for entry within six months if abroad, or for a residence permit within one month if already legally in Cyprus.
- File the application with certified translations and fees at the Migration Department in Nicosia, checking first whether an appointment is needed.
- Provide biometrics and collect the permit once the collection notice arrives.
What happens to the permit after the review
If the Deputy Ministry's growth review is positive and the company is tax resident in Cyprus, the founders and senior executives keep their right to live and work there. Paid employees of the startup can then receive two-year permits, and self-employed founders one-year permits, each renewed against the standard fee. Without a tax-resident company, self-employed founders keep one-year renewable permits tied to that company, and the founder with the most shares is treated as the employer. In both cases holders can exercise family reunification directly under the immigration laws.
Long-term resident status in Cyprus needs five years of legal and continuous residence, with absences shorter than six consecutive months and no more than ten months in total. Whether a given permit counts depends on its type: the Migration Department excludes students, people residing solely on a temporary basis and holders of formally restricted permits. The startup practical guide presents long-term residence as the prospect for founders whose company is assessed as successful, so the renewal review matters well beyond the next permit card.
Questions and answers
Do startup founders in Cyprus renew their permit every year?
Often, yes. A founder who applies from inside Cyprus receives a permit valid for one year from the approval notice, and later renewals cost EUR 130 each with fresh biometrics. After a positive growth review, self-employed founders move to one-year renewals while salaried staff of the startup can receive two-year permits.
Can a Cyprus startup founder work for another employer?
The scheme ties work rights to the startup. Founders may be self-employed or employed in their own registered company, and senior executives in a team are employed by the company the founders register in Cyprus. Work elsewhere would need a separate permit under the general rules for third-country nationals.
Where do founders file the Cyprus residence application?
Applications go to the Migration Department headquarters in Nicosia, where the department explains whether an appointment is needed. Founders still abroad can instead apply for the entry visa at a Cyprus consular authority. Biometrics can be given at filing or within a week at the police immigration unit of the district where the applicant lives.
Official sources
- Startup Visa - Migration Departmentwww.gov.cy
- Cyprus Startup Visa Scheme - Practical Guide (DMRID)www.gov.cy
- Acquisition of the status of long-term resident in the Republic - Migration Departmentwww.gov.cy
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in Cyprus.
Startup visa
DMRID approval of an innovative startup; scheme open until December 2026
02Temporary residence
Residence and work permit from the Migration Department, renewed while approved
03Permanent residence
Long-term status after 5 years, or a EUR 300,000 investor permit
04Citizenship
Naturalization after 7 of 10 years plus 12 months, with Greek at B1