Cyprus · Spouse visas
Cyprus Spouse of a citizen
Residence permit for the third-country spouse or civil partner of a Cypriot citizen
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Cyprus. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- €50 ≈ $56 · €70 ≈ $78
Cost, time and long term
Government fees€50 ≈ $56 · €70 ≈ $78
- EUR 50 (≈ $56)Issuance or renewal of a residence permit without employment; EUR80 (≈ $89) for a residence and work permit with paid employment.
- EUR 70 (≈ $78)Registration in the register of foreigners, first registration only.
RenewalRenewable
Family members of Cypriots can stay without a time limit while conditions are met and they hold a valid permit; with employment the permit lasts at most five years.
Permanent residenceGeneral rule: 5 years of residence
Long-term resident status is open to third-country nationals after 5 years of continuous legal residence on a valid residence permit.
CitizenshipGeneral rule: 7 years of residence
General naturalisation rule: 12 months of legal continuous residence immediately before applying and at least 7 years of legal residence in the preceding 10 years, plus Greek at B1 level.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
The Cypriot citizen must be present when the application is submitted.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- Applicant is a third-country national who has entered a marriage or civil union with a Cypriot citizen.
What you must show1
- The permit fee is EUR50 (≈ $56) without employment or EUR80 (≈ $89) with paid employment, plus EUR70 (≈ $78) on first registration.
Documents2
- Supporting documents, officially translated and duly certified or ratified.
- Biometric data (photo and fingerprints) and the signature of the third-country national.
Steps3
- The spouse enters with a visa from a Cypriot consulate or with an entry permit that the Cypriot citizen applies for.
- The application is submitted at a submission office with the Cypriot citizen present and the fees paid.
- Applications are examined within four months if complete.
After you arrive2
- The spouse can stay without a time limit while the conditions are met and the permit is valid.
- After divorce, annulment or death a personal residence right can be requested if the marriage lasted long and had shared commitments.
When you become tax resident
How Cyprus decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in a tax yearStaying in Cyprus for periods exceeding 183 days in total in a tax year.
- At least 60 days in a tax year60-day rule: at least 60 days in Cyprus, not more than 183 days in any other country, carrying on business or employment in Cyprus, and keeping a permanent home in Cyprus that the person owns or rents.
- Foreign-source income
Non-dom (17 of 20 years)
SDC on dividends (5% for residents who are domiciled) and interest (17% for residents who are domiciled) under Law 117(I)/2002 as amended; ordinary income tax on residents continues to apply to worldwide income.
- Special regime
Non-domiciled residents outside Special Defence Contribution · Tax relief
All tax rules for Cyprus Tax records checked
Full official text
For the third-country national married to, or in a civil union with, a Cypriot citizen. It gives a residence permit, with free access to the labour market through a residence and employment permit, and no maximum length of stay. 1
What you must show and pay
- A fee of EUR 50 (≈ $56) · Issuance or renewal of a residence permit without employment; EUR80 (≈ $89) for a residence and work permit with paid employment. 1
- A fee of EUR 70 (≈ $78) · Registration in the register of foreigners, first registration only. 1
Requirements
- Applicant is a third-country national who has entered a marriage or civil union with a Cypriot citizen. 1
- The permit fee is EUR50 (≈ $56) without employment or EUR80 (≈ $89) with paid employment, plus EUR70 (≈ $78) on first registration. 1
- Supporting documents, officially translated and duly certified or ratified. 1
- Biometric data (photo and fingerprints) and the signature of the third-country national. 1
- The spouse enters with a visa from a Cypriot consulate or with an entry permit that the Cypriot citizen applies for. 1
- The application is submitted at a submission office with the Cypriot citizen present and the fees paid. 1
- Applications are examined within four months if complete. 1
- The spouse can stay without a time limit while the conditions are met and the permit is valid. 1
- After divorce, annulment or death a personal residence right can be requested if the marriage lasted long and had shared commitments. 1
Stay
- Permit length depends on the family member's status and is examined case by case; with employment the maximum is five years. Family members can stay without time limit while conditions are met.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Spouses and partners have free access to the labour market including self-employment, after obtaining a residence and employment permit.
Family
Direct descendants under 21 or dependent, dependent parents of the citizen or spouse, and parents of a minor Cypriot are also covered.
Official sources
- Family members of Cypriots · Migration Department, Republic of Cyprus · checked 2026-10-12
- Acquisition of the status of long-term resident in the Republic · Civil Registry and Migration Department · checked 2026-10-12
- Acquisition of Cypriot citizenship by naturalization due to years of residence (form M127) · Ministry of Interior (Cyprus) · checked 2026-10-12
- Family members of Cypriots: procedure for application submission and processing time · Civil Registry and Migration Department · checked 2026-10-11
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a resident | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Portugal | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a resident Spain | Needs income of €900+ a month ≈ $1,010 | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a resident Georgia | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a citizen?
A fee of EUR 50 (≈ $56). Issuance or renewal of a residence permit without employment; EUR80 (≈ $89) for a residence and work permit with paid employment. A fee of EUR 70 (≈ $78). Registration in the register of foreigners, first registration only.
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Permit length depends on the family member's status and is examined case by case; with employment the maximum is five years.
Can I work on the Spouse of a citizen?
Spouses and partners have free access to the labour market including self-employment, after obtaining a residence and employment permit.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a citizen?
Direct descendants under 21 or dependent, dependent parents of the citizen or spouse, and parents of a minor Cypriot are also covered.
Who can apply for the Spouse of a citizen?
Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Spouse of a citizen lead to permanent residence in Cyprus?
The general rule for permanent residence in Cyprus is 5 years of residence. The general rule for citizenship is 7 years of residence.
Is there a tax break for Spouse of a citizen holders in Cyprus?
Non-domiciled residents outside Special Defence Contribution (17 of 20 years): Special Defence Contribution (SDC) applies only to residents who are also domiciled in Cyprus, so a tax resident without Cyprus domicile pays no SDC on dividends or interest; an individual is deemed domiciled after being tax resident in at least 17 of the last 20 years before the tax year. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Non-domiciled residents outside Special Defence Contribution (17 of 20 years)
Tax relief
Details
- On: SDC on dividends (5% for residents who are domiciled) and interest
- Who: Tax resident of Cyprus under the Income Tax Law
Special Defence Contribution (SDC) applies only to residents who are also domiciled in Cyprus, so a tax resident without Cyprus domicile pays no SDC on dividends or interest; an individual is deemed domiciled after being tax resident in at least 17 of the last 20 years before the tax year.
Taxed on
SDC on dividends (5% for residents who are domiciled) and interest (17% for residents who are domiciled) under Law 117(I)/2002 as amended; ordinary income tax on residents continues to apply to worldwide income.
Who it applies to
- Tax resident of Cyprus under the Income Tax Law.
- No domicile of origin in Cyprus under the Wills and Succession Law, or domicile of choice abroad with 20 consecutive years of non-residence; deemed domicile arises after 17 of the last 20 years as a tax resident and persists until 20 years without residence.
Exclusions
- Persons with domicile of origin in Cyprus are domiciled for SDC.
- Persons who reach 17 of the last 20 years of residence become domiciled and subject to SDC unless they elect the alternative in Article 3D (see “Alternative SDC: EUR 50,000 (≈ $55,900) a year (EUR 250,000 (≈ $279,000) for five years) for deemed-domiciled residents”).
- Cyprus income tax on residents still applies to worldwide income under the scales in “Personal income tax scales from 2026”.
Tax residence
Tax residence is decided each year under Law 118(I)/2002 (183 days, or the 60-day rule); domicile is a separate test for SDC. Non-domiciled individuals can apply for exemption on form T.F.38.
Visas
A residence permit does not change domicile; tax residence years are what count.
Other taxes
SDC on rent and deemed dividend distributions were removed by Law 245(I)/2025 effective 1 January 2026; social insurance and GHS contributions are separate.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in Cyprus
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Family members of Cypriots · Migration Department, Republic of Cyprus · checked 2026-10-12
- Acquisition of the status of long-term resident in the Republic · Civil Registry and Migration Department · checked 2026-10-12
- Acquisition of Cypriot citizenship by naturalization due to years of residence (form M127) · Ministry of Interior (Cyprus) · checked 2026-10-12
- Family members of Cypriots: procedure for application submission and processing time · Civil Registry and Migration Department · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.