A foreign national can obtain citizenship in Cyprus if the person qualifies as per the rules and regulations applicable for one of the types of citizenships recognized in this country. According to the law on immigration in Cyprus, there are 3 main types of citizenships.
One can obtain citizenship in Cyprus through the following:
- naturalization;
- by marriage with a Cypriot national;
- by having Cypriot descendance.
You can find out from our immigration lawyer in Cyprus the conditions you must fulfill for any of the 3 categories mentioned above if you plan to apply for citizenship.
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How can one obtain citizenship in Cyprus through naturalization?
Naturalization refers to a lengthy process through which a foreigner is entitled to apply for citizenship. The first requirement to fulfill when applying for citizenship through naturalization is to be the holder of a Cyprus permanent residence permit.
The rules on citizenship through naturalization are given by the Civil Registry Law. According to the Civil Registry and Migration Department, the basic requirements are the following:
- a foreigner can apply for naturalization after 5 or 7 years of legal stay in this country – this means that the foreigner must be the holder of a residence permit in Cyprus;
- before initiating the citizenship procedure, the applicant has to stay in Cyprus on a continuous basis for a period of 1 year;
- all applicants who meet the basic Cyprus permanent residence requirements must pay a fee of EUR 500 for the citizenship application;
- an additional cost of EUR 8,54 must be paid for 2 stamps that must be affixed to the citizenship application;
- successful applicants will be required to pay an additional fee of EUR 500 for the issuance of the Cypriot citizenship certificate.
The law requires applicants to provide a set of documents, attesting their Cypriot residence permit, the knowledge of the Cypriot culture and society, the identity documents, and many other papers, on which our immigration lawyer in Cyprus can provide extensive information.
What are the conditions to comply with for citizenship by marriage in Cyprus?
As presented above, a foreigner can obtain citizenship in Cyprus by marriage with a Cypriot national. This right is prescribed by the law on immigration to Cyprus and it is commonly met in most of the European states.
Citizenship by marriage can be acquired following a more direct route, with simpler requirements. However, not all foreigners who are married with Cypriot nationals can apply for citizenship, as the marriage itself must meet specific criteria.
For instance, the foreign spouse can apply for citizenship only when the couple entered their 3rd year of marriage (the 3rd anniversary must take place before the date when the citizenship application is registered with the Cypriot authorities).
Another condition to comply with refers to residency. At the moment of the application, the foreign spouse must have lawfully lived in Cyprus for minimum 2 years. This implies that the person must be the holder of a residence permit in Cyprus. These are the 2 basic criteria for citizenship by marriage.
However, the law also allows the right to apply for citizenship in the case in which the spouses live permanently abroad, but have been married for minimum 3 years (additional documentation must be offered in this case).
Therefore, for the 2nd scenario, the foreigner does not have to present a Cypriot residence permit. Please mind that a processing fee is imposed in this case as well, but the applicants for citizenship by marriage will pay a reduced fee of EUR 300.
If the foreign national must present documents issued by the home country, then the documents must be issued or translated into Greek or English.
Thus, if they are not issued in these languages, an official translation must be concluded and our immigration lawyer in Cyprus can help you learn more about the conditions the documents must meet, based on your country of origin.
