Golden Visa is a nickname, not a legal term. What people mean by the Cyprus Golden Visa is permanent residency under Regulation 6(2), also called Category 6.2. It is a real regulation rather than a temporary scheme, which is part of why it has outlasted programmes that closed elsewhere in Europe.
It is also widely oversold. Before you spend €300,000, here is the honest version.
Why British investors are looking at it
The United Kingdom closed its own investor route, the Tier 1 Investor visa, in February 2022. Since Brexit, British nationals are treated as third country nationals, which is precisely what makes them eligible for this Cyprus route. Alongside British clients, I work with South African, Israeli, American and Gulf based investors.
What actually qualifies
The minimum is €300,000 plus VAT. Most people use residential property, and this is where I see the costly mistakes.
- It must be a new build bought directly from a development company. Resale property does not qualify, no matter what it is worth.
- It must be residential under this category. A shop or an office does not work.
- The full amount must be paid before you apply, with funds from outside Cyprus.
- Up to two units can be combined in some cases, but they must come from the same developer.
Shares in a Cyprus company with real presence and staff, and units in a Cyprus registered investment fund, also qualify, but property remains the overwhelming majority of what I file.
The income requirement people underestimate
Alongside the investment you must prove a secured annual income from abroad of at least €50,000, rising by €15,000 for a spouse and €10,000 for each dependent child. A couple with two children needs to show €85,000 a year.
The investment is fine and the income evidence is thin. The Migration Department wants income that is stable and provable, which usually means tax returns from your home country rather than a bank statement showing a single transfer.
What it gives you, and what it does not
- A permanent permit that does not expire. No renewals.
- No requirement to live in Cyprus, but you must visit at least once every two years or it lapses.
- It is not a work permit. You can own and direct your own Cyprus company, but you cannot take a job.
- It is not citizenship, and it is not Schengen access. Cyprus is in the European Union but not yet in Schengen, so this permit does not give free movement across Europe. Anyone telling you otherwise is selling you something.
How long it takes
From a complete, properly prepared submission, decisions are currently coming through in roughly two to six months. The word doing the work there is complete. An application submitted with a document missing goes to the back of the queue when it comes back.
Common questions
Is the Cyprus Golden Visa the same as citizenship?
No. It is permanent residency. Citizenship is a separate process with its own requirements.
Can I rent the property out?
This depends on the property and how the investment is structured, and it is one of the first things worth checking before you choose a development.
What happens if I sell the property?
You keep the qualifying investment. Selling without replacing it with another qualifying investment can cost you the status.
Does my family get it too?
Spouse and children under 18 are included on the main application. Unmarried children aged 18 to 25 who are financially dependent and studying can apply separately, with an additional income requirement.
For the full detail, including the five mistakes that get applications rejected, read what actually qualifies and what gets applications rejected, or see the Cyprus PR service page.
Free toolDoes your property actually qualify?Four questions, thirty seconds. Resale, new build, residential or commercial, the rules differ and most people find out too late.Looking at a specific property? Which property qualifies, and why resale residential never does.
Before you submit anything: the documents you need, and the seven reasons files get sent back.
Find out if you qualify
A short call covering your nationality, family, income and timeline. You will finish it knowing whether this route works for you, what it costs in total, and how long it realistically takes.
Book a Strategy Call →General information based on the rules as at September 2026, not legal advice for your situation. Sokratous Advisory works alongside Soteroula Stavri-Socratous & Co LLC for the legal side of every application.