Cyprus · Spouse visas
Cyprus Spouse of a resident
First stay: 1 yr
Family reunification (FR) permit for the spouse of a third-country resident of Cyprus
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a resident is a spouse visas route for Cyprus. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- €200 ≈ $220 · €70 ≈ $78
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
Government fees€200 ≈ $220 · €70 ≈ $78
- EUR 200 (≈ $220)Issuance of the entry permit and residence permit, or of the residence permit alone; renewal also EUR200 (≈ $220).
- EUR 70 (≈ $78)Registration in the Aliens Registry, first registration only.
RenewalRenewable
The first permit is for one year and is renewable, but cannot run beyond the sponsor permit.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
- Only from age 21
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- Sponsor has lived legally in Cyprus for at least two years, with exceptions for some employees.
- Sponsor holds a residence permit valid for at least one year and has a reasonable prospect of permanent residence.
- The spouse is at least 21 years old and the marriage took place at least one year before the application.
What you must show1
- The application fee is EUR200 (≈ $220) and first registration in the Aliens Registry is EUR70 (≈ $78).
Documents2
- Supporting documents, officially translated and duly certified.
- Biometric data (photo and fingerprints) and the signature of the spouse.
Steps3
- The sponsor applies for an entry permit at the Migration Department headquarters in Nicosia.
- The spouse cannot enter on a tourist visa for family reunification, with an exception for approved foreign-personnel companies.
- After arrival the spouse registers in the Aliens Register and collects the residence permit; decisions take up to nine months.
After you arrive1
- The first residence permit is valid for one year and renewal can be filed online 90 to 30 days before expiry.
When you become tax resident
How Cyprus decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
1 year at first, renewable
- 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 spouse of a third-country national who has lived legally in Cyprus for two years. It gives a one-year residence permit that is renewable and cannot outlast the sponsor permit. 1
What you must show and pay
- A fee of EUR 200 (≈ $220) · Issuance of the entry permit and residence permit, or of the residence permit alone; renewal also EUR200 (≈ $220). 1
- A fee of EUR 70 (≈ $78) · Registration in the Aliens Registry, first registration only. 1
Requirements
- Sponsor has lived legally in Cyprus for at least two years, with exceptions for some employees. 1
- Sponsor holds a residence permit valid for at least one year and has a reasonable prospect of permanent residence. 1
- The spouse is at least 21 years old and the marriage took place at least one year before the application. 1
- The application fee is EUR200 (≈ $220) and first registration in the Aliens Registry is EUR70 (≈ $78). 1
- Supporting documents, officially translated and duly certified. 1
- Biometric data (photo and fingerprints) and the signature of the spouse. 1
- The sponsor applies for an entry permit at the Migration Department headquarters in Nicosia. 1
- The spouse cannot enter on a tourist visa for family reunification, with an exception for approved foreign-personnel companies. 1
- After arrival the spouse registers in the Aliens Register and collects the residence permit; decisions take up to nine months. 1
- The first residence permit is valid for one year and renewal can be filed online 90 to 30 days before expiry. 1
Stay
- First permit for one year, renewable, and not valid beyond the sponsor permit; family members can stay without time limit while conditions continue to be met.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- 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 civil partners have direct access to employment on the same terms as the sponsor.
Family
Minor unmarried children of the sponsor and spouse, and children in the sole custody of either, can be reunited.
Official sources
- Family members of certain third country nationals legally residing in Cyprus (FR family reunification) · Migration Department, Republic of Cyprus · checked 2026-10-12
Spouse of a resident and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a resident | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen | – | – | – |
| 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 resident?
A fee of EUR 200 (≈ $220). Issuance of the entry permit and residence permit, or of the residence permit alone; renewal also EUR200 (≈ $220). A fee of EUR 70 (≈ $78). Registration in the Aliens Registry, first registration only.
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a resident?
First permit for one year, renewable, and not valid beyond the sponsor permit; family members can stay without time limit while conditions continue to be met.
Can I work on the Spouse of a resident?
Spouses and civil partners have direct access to employment on the same terms as the sponsor.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a resident?
Minor unmarried children of the sponsor and spouse, and children in the sole custody of either, can be reunited.
Who can apply for the Spouse of a resident?
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.
Is there a tax break for Spouse of a resident 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.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 1 official source. 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 certain third country nationals legally residing in Cyprus (FR family reunification) · Migration Department, Republic of Cyprus · checked 2026-10-12
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.