We are E.R. Team Global Consultants, a company which offers immigration services to foreigners interested in moving to Cyprus.
Relocating to a foreign country could pose a set of issues, which can refer to language barriers or not understanding all the steps that are involved in the process of obtaining a visa, a residence permit or applying for Cyprus permanent residence and other legal obligations a foreign can have in this case.
When moving to any foreign country or when moving to Cyprus it is recommended to receive legal representation from professionals who have been working in the field and who have an in-depth knowledge of the immigration law. This is why we advise foreigners to request legal advice from our team of immigration lawyers in Cyprus, who can help those planning to move to this country.
Evgenios Erotokritou is a founding member and the CEO of E.R. Team Global Consultants and a Barrister-at-Law,
member of the Cyprus Bar Association since 1980.
In terms of education, Evgenios Erotokritou graduated from the Law School of the Society of the Middle Temple in
the Strand London with Distinction and has also become a member of The Honorable Society of the Middle Temple.
Natural persons relocating here for study purposes or those seeking employment can rely on the expertise of our lawyers. Foreigners interested in starting a business can also address to our team of advice on the investment programs that can facilitate the process of obtaining the Cyprus permanent residence or Cypriot citizenship.
Depending on the type of document a person is interested in obtaining here, different procedures can be involved, with different Cypriot institutions, and our lawyers can present the entire process a person should expect for his or her particular case. Do not hesitate to contact our Cyprus immigration lawyers for legal advice on any matter regulated by the immigration law applicable here.
How can our Cyprus immigration lawyers help foreigners?
As a member state of the European Union (EU), Cyprus allows the free movement of persons who are citizens of the EU. Thus, in their case, fewer to no immigration rules will apply, since they are able to live and work here following the same rights that Cypriot citizens have.
However, when we refer to citizens from outside the EU, the rules are much stringent and, depending on the nationality of the person, more complex procedures will apply. Here, our lawyers can provide legal representation on the steps of obtaining a residence permit, which is typically the first document a foreigner needs when relocating to Cyprus.
The basic permit a foreigner can apply upon his or her arrival in Cyprus is the temporary residence permit and our lawyers can help in obtaining a Pink Slip, which is a type of temporary residence permit that allows a foreigner to live here up to a year (with his or her family as well) for visiting purposes or other similar reasons, but not for employment.
The permit must be required if the foreigner will stay here for a period longer than three months; our team of Cyprus immigration lawyers can present the eligibility requirements (it is compulsory to have sufficient financial means to sustain the foreigner and his or her family for the duration of the stay).
The other type of temporary residence permit is the temporary residence employment permit, which is obtained only for employment purposes. Foreigners must prepare a complex set of papers, proving their residential address in Cyprus, the offer from a local employer and numerous others.
Our team has in-depth experience in providing legal representation to persons involved in the business environment. We can represent both businessmen who want to invest here, but also persons who are relocating to Cyprus based on an intra-corporate transfer contract. We can present the requirements associated with each situation.
Businessmen investing the threshold required under the Investment Program will be eligible for the Cypriot citizenship, and our attorneys can provide information on how one can acquire citizenship in this country. Our team can present the legislation referring to naturalization in Cyprus.
How many residence permits were issued in Cyprus?
Although Cyprus is a small country, it has one of the highest rates regarding the number of immigrants, when compared to the country’s population. The immigration trends recorded by a country can be seen in the number of residence permits issued by the country’s authorities and for Cyprus, the following are available:
• at the level of 2016, Cyprus ranked as the 2nd most important EU market for the issuance of residence permits;
• in 2016, Cyprus had a rate of 19,9%, calculated as the number of residence permits issued per 1,000 inhabitants;
• at the level of 2016, Cyprus issued 16,970 residence permits;
• 2,332 residence permits were issued for family related reasons and 3,313 were issued for education reasons;
• 3,940 residence permits were requested and approved for employment purposes.
The top nationalities relocating to Cyprus in 2016 were from India, Russia and Syria. We recommend foreigners, regardless of their country of residence, to request legal advice prior to starting the immigration procedures, in order to avoid any misunderstandings that can increase the duration of the issuance of the immigration documents.