The citizenship by descent in Cyprus can be granted to persons who have Cypriot origins. In order to be able to apply for citizenship through this legal option, all foreigners are required to provide documents that can prove the existence of a family tie with a Cypriot national, this being a basic requirement.
The manner in which this legal procedure can be completed varies based on the age of the applicant. Thus, the Cyprus immigration law distinguishes between minor applicants (with an age below 18 years old), and adult applicants, who have an age above 18 years old. If you need legal advice on the procedure, we invite you to address to our Cyprus immigration lawyers by e-mail or by phone and we will provide you with an answer as soon as possible on the steps you need to take.
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Obtaining citizenship by descent in Cyprus for adult applicants
Adult applicants are those who can represent themselves in front of the local authorities without receiving the approval of any other party, unlike the situation of minor applicants, who need to be represented by their parents or legal guardians. All applicants must generally meet the same rules and procedures, but there is a main distinction, based on the date at which the applicants were born. Below, our Cyprus immigration lawyers have prepared a short presentation:
- adult applicants who were born prior to the date of 16th of August 1960 have to complete the Form M71;
- applicants applying for citizenship by descent in Cyprus born after 16th of August 1960 have to submit the Form M72;
- the application needs to contain a photocopy of the fee receipt, which is of EUR 20;
- the application also needs a stamp, which can be purchased by the applicant at a cost of EUR 1,71;
- the documents may also need to contain the apostille and the certification of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country where the applicant is a resident/citizen, if the said country is not part of the Hague Convention 1961.
What is the process on citizenship by descent for minor children in Cyprus in 2023?
In the case of persons relocating to Cyprus with minor children who are entitled to receive the Cypriot citizenship based on a family tie with a local, the procedure will be slightly more complex. Our Cyprus immigration lawyers can explain the entire process that you may need to follow and few details regarding this subject are also available in the next section of this article.
In this particular case, the Form M121 has to be submitted if any of the two next conditions apply: the applicant was born abroad after 16th of August 1960 and had a father who, at that moment, had Cypriot citizenship, or if the applicant is born after 11th of June 1999, and who had a mother who, at the moment of birth, was a Cypriot citizen.
The applicant has to provide the following documents, in accordance with the law on Cyprus immigration and in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the Civil Registry and Migration Department: the birth certificate, the marriage certificate of the applicant’s parents and photocopies of the passport of the applicant, as well as the ones of the parents.
Where applicable, one has to submit the certificate of registration of citizenship of the parent, showing the Cypriot citizenship. Along these, the payment of the processing fee and the stamp are also required. Please mind that in the case of foreign documents, the local institutions will require the apostille or the certification of the documents. If you are not sure that you need to complete this step as well, please refer to our Cyprus immigration lawyers.
What does the citizenship application form contain in 2023?
If you are interested in knowing what type of data you should provide when completing the form, we invite you to read the following section. The document will require the applicant to offer information regarding his or her name, address, legal capacity, date of birth and the place of birth.
Besides these, the Cyprus immigration authorities will need information on the applicant’s religion, current nationality, the personal information of the father of the applicant, but also on the civil situation – married, single, in a partnership, divorced, widowed. If the person has a partner, the personal information of the partner has to be part of the application.
The standard application form may suffer various modifications based on the specific form that the applicant will complete (as mentioned in this article, there are few categories of forms, depending on the age of the applicant and the birth date). For more details on how to obtain the Cypriot citizenship by descent, we invite you to contact our Cyprus immigration lawyers.
Please mind that in 2023, persons who want to apply for citizenship and who are related to a Cypriot national (as parents or children of citizens of Cyprus) can initiate the procedure in 5 years, rather than 7.
Besides this option, foreigners also have the possibility of acquiring Cypriot citizenship through the marriage with a Cypriot national. It is compulsory for the 2 persons to be legally married, so please mind that simply be being in a relationship with a Cypriot national will not be enough.
The couple should provide evidence on being married for at least 3 years at the moment of the application.
When applying for citizenship by this option, the foreign national must also provide evidence on having a Cypriot residence permit. The residency requirements in this case are of only 2 years.
However, it is also possible to apply for citizenship by marriage when not living in Cyprus (meaning, the person is not a resident), but for this, specific rules must be met by the applicant.
For those who apply for citizenship by marriage and who live here, along with the residency permit in Cyprus, they will also have to present a document which attests the cohabitation with the partner.
This will be submitted in the form of a statement of harmonious cohabitation issued by a local authority, such as the District Administration Office or a diplomatic institution.
We can also assist other foreign nationals, not of Cypriot descent, who are interested in obtaining residency in Cyprus.
If you want to apply for citizenship by descent and you live outside the country, you can initiate the procedure by following specific immigration procedures. The applicant is entitled to apply for citizenship by descent in Cyprus in 2023 even if the parents were not married.
The procedure for the legal recognition of the citizenship has to be done following the rules of the Law on Children (Kinship and Legal Status) 187/1991, Articles 16-17.
You must know that it is necessary to address to a court in Cyprus in 2023 – more exactly, the District Court, which is the sole entity that can hear the case and issue a ruling. Please contact our lawyers for legal representation on the procedure for citizenship by descent in 2023.
