It is one of the most-searched phrases about Cyprus, and half the industry happily sells it. The truthful answer is more interesting: no programme by that name exists — and what does exist is, in several ways, better.
By Markos Kyprianou · Founder, Cyprino · Private Advisory, Limassol
€300,000Minimum investment
For lifePermanent from day one
ZeroStatus renewals, ever
1 / 2 yrsOne visit keeps it
The verdict, up front
There is no Cyprus Golden Visa. There is something permanent — and permanence is the better product.
What people mean when they say it
The phrase "golden visa" became Europe's shorthand for residency-by-investment — Portugal's programme, Spain's, Greece's. When someone searches for the Cyprus version, what they find is the island's investor residency under Regulation 6(2): permanent residence for a qualifying investment of €300,000 in property, company shares, or fund units, plus secured annual income from abroad.
Agents call it the Cyprus Golden Visa because that is what people type into Google. I will use the phrase here for the same reason — but you deserve to know why it is technically wrong, because the difference is the whole point.
Why "visa" is the wrong word — and why that favours Cyprus
A golden visa, properly speaking, is a temporary residence permit purchased with an investment and renewed on a cycle — Greece's runs in five-year renewals, Portugal's ran in two-year cycles, each renewal an administrative event where rules may have changed since you started. Cyprus grants something categorically different: permanent residence, immediately, for life.
A golden visa is something you keep renewing. Cyprus hands you permanence on day one — and never asks again.
There is no renewal of the status itself — only the physical card is reissued every ten years, a formality rather than a reassessment. The maintenance obligations are correspondingly light: keep the qualifying investment, keep health insurance, and set foot in Cyprus at least once every two years. No minimum days, no tax-residency trigger, no schooling or employment conditions. In my comparison with the Greece Golden Visa this is the structural difference that outweighs every headline number.
What it genuinely gives you
A lifetime EU baseFor you, your spouse, and children up to 25 where dependent
Healthcare & educationAccess to the Cypriot systems as a resident
Company ownershipOwn and direct a Cyprus company; take dividends
Generational stabilityA foothold that survives passports and politics elsewhere
What it does not give you
Not Schengen — yetAccession pending the EU Council's final decision
Not a work permitSalaried employment excluded; dividends are the structure
Not a passportCitizenship needs 7 years' residence in 10, 12 continuous months, Greek B1, civics exam
Not a shortcutHolding the permit from abroad counts for nothing
So — is it right for you?
If you want a permanent EU base with minimal presence obligations, favourable tax treatment when you do relocate, and an asset rather than a fee at the centre of the structure, the Cyprus route is arguably the strongest instrument of its kind left in Europe.
If what you actually want is immediate Schengen mobility and nothing more, Greece's genuine golden visa may serve you better today — I say so plainly in the comparison, and I sell Cyprus for a living. The right answer depends on what you are optimising for, which is a conversation, not a search result.
Programme details verified against the Civil Registry and Migration Department's published requirements as of July 2026. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Is there officially a programme called the Cyprus Golden Visa?
No. The official route is permanent residence by investment under Regulation 6(2). "Cyprus Golden Visa" is industry shorthand — widely used, technically inaccurate.
What is the minimum investment?
€300,000 excluding VAT, in new residential property, commercial real estate, Cypriot company shares, or Cyprus fund units — plus secured annual income of €50,000 from abroad, with additions for family members.
How is it different from the Greece Golden Visa?
Greece issues a temporary permit renewed every five years and already includes Schengen travel; Cyprus grants permanent residence for life with no renewals but sits outside Schengen until accession completes.
Does Cyprus PR include Schengen travel?
Not yet. The technical assessment is complete and the political decision pending. Once accession takes effect, residents are expected to travel the Schengen Area under short-stay rules.
Is it a path to an EU passport?
Through genuine residence only: seven years of legal residence within the last ten, twelve continuous months before applying, Greek at B1, and a civics assessment.
Which properties qualify for the €300,000 route?
A new property bought from a developer (first sale) at €300,000 plus VAT, funds from abroad. Resale qualifies only in the commercial category. Title-deed status is where due diligence earns its keep.
Explore €300,000-qualifying properties at Cyprino.
Curated new developments and homes across Cyprus that meet the Regulation 6(2) threshold — each vetted for title-deed status and developer standing before it is listed.