Cyprus · Business / Startup
Cyprus Startup visa
First stay: 1 yr
Cyprus Startup Visa scheme
Checked against official sources on Record corrected 11 Oct 2026Change log
Key facts
Startup visa is a business / startup route for Cyprus. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- €120 ≈ $130 · +2 more
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
Government fees€120 ≈ $130 · +2 more
- EUR 120 (≈ $130)Issue of entry permit and temporary residence permit.
- EUR 130 (≈ $150)Issue or renewal of temporary residence permit.
- EUR 70 (≈ $78)Registration in the Aliens Register, first registration only.
RenewalRenewable
Initial approval gives the right to economic activity for two years, renewable for at least one more year; a new application can be made three months before the end of year three.
Permanent residenceConditions
If the company is assessed as successful, founders have the prospect of long-term residence.
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.
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 apply3
- The applicant is a talented entrepreneur from outside the EU and EEA.
- The startup is innovative and is established in or moved to Cyprus.
- The applicant can be an individual or a team of founders.
What you must show1
- Fees: EUR120 (≈ $130) for the entry permit and temporary residence permit, EUR130 (≈ $150) for issue or renewal, and EUR70 (≈ $78) for first registration.
Steps3
- The Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy gives initial approval within five weeks.
- The entry visa or residence application follows within 6 months if abroad, or 1 month if already in Cyprus.
- The application is reviewed within three weeks.
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
Scheme for talented non-EU entrepreneurs to establish or move an innovative startup, approved by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy; renewed until December 2026. 1
What you must show and pay
- A fee of EUR 120 (≈ $130) · Issue of entry permit and temporary residence permit. 1
- A fee of EUR 130 (≈ $150) · Issue or renewal of temporary residence permit. 1
- A fee of EUR 70 (≈ $78) · Registration in the Aliens Register, first registration only. 1
Requirements
- The applicant is a talented entrepreneur from outside the EU and EEA. 1
- The startup is innovative and is established in or moved to Cyprus. 1
- The applicant can be an individual or a team of founders. 1
- Fees: EUR120 (≈ $130) for the entry permit and temporary residence permit, EUR130 (≈ $150) for issue or renewal, and EUR70 (≈ $78) for first registration. 1
- The Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy gives initial approval within five weeks. 1
- The entry visa or residence application follows within 6 months if abroad, or 1 month if already in Cyprus. 1
- The application is reviewed within three weeks. 1
Stay
- The Notification of Initial Approval gives the right to economic activity in Cyprus for two years, renewable for at least one more year; the residence permit is valid one year from the date of the Notification. The scheme is valid until December 2026.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Third-country nationals outside the EU and EEA. 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
Establish and operate the startup.
Fine print
The Migration Department page (posted 30 December 2025) says the scheme is valid until December 2026 and gives no date after that.
Official sources
- Startup Visa · Migration Department, Cyprus · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2025-12-30
- Acquisition of Cypriot citizenship by naturalization due to years of residence (form M127) · Ministry of Interior (Cyprus) · checked 2026-10-12
Startup visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Startup visa | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Self-employed farm/mining | Needs assets from €350k ≈ $391k | 10 yr, renewable | – |
| Self-employed trade | Needs assets of ~€260k ≈ $290k | 10 yr, renewable | – |
| Self-employed profession | – | 10 yr, renewable | – |
| Startup Visa Portugal | Needs savings of €6,446+ ≈ $7,200 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Startup visa?
A fee of EUR 120 (≈ $130). Issue of entry permit and temporary residence permit. A fee of EUR 130 (≈ $150). Issue or renewal of temporary residence permit. A fee of EUR 70 (≈ $78). Registration in the Aliens Register, first registration only.
How long can I stay on the Startup visa?
The Notification of Initial Approval gives the right to economic activity in Cyprus for two years, renewable for at least one more year; the residence permit is valid one year from the date of the Notification.
Can I work on the Startup visa?
Establish and operate the startup.
Who can apply for the Startup visa?
Third-country nationals outside the EU and EEA. 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 Startup visa lead to permanent residence in Cyprus?
If the company is assessed as successful, founders have the prospect of long-term residence. The general rule for citizenship is 7 years of residence.
Is there a tax break for Startup visa 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
Business / startup 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 2 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.
- Startup Visa · Migration Department, Cyprus · 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
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.