CyprusLong-term residence
Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.
The status of long-term resident in the Republic of Cyprus, evidenced by a long-term residence permit.
Acquisition of the status of long-term resident in the Republic
LONG TERM RESIDENCE PERMIT
Five years of legal and continuous residence in government-controlled areas immediately before applying, while holding a valid Cyprus residence permit.
Third-country nationals residing in areas controlled by the Government of the Republic legally and continuously for the last five years prior to the submission of the application and holding a valid residence permit in the Republic.
Excluded: students and vocational trainees; people with, or applying for, protection other than international protection; asylum seekers; people residing only temporarily (e.g. unpaid domestic workers, seasonal workers), cross-border posted employees, or those with formally restricted permits; and people covered by the Vienna diplomatic and consular conventions.
Students or persons residing in the Republic for vocational training purposes. Persons who have been authorized to reside on the basis of subsidiary protection other than international protection or have applied for such a permission. Asylum seekers. Persons residing in the Republic, solely on a temporary basis (e.g. unpaid domestic workers, seasonal workers) or salaried employees employed by a cross-border service provider or in cases where their residence permit has been officially restricted. Persons subject to the 1961, 1963 and 1975 Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic, Consular Relations and Relations with International Universal Organizations.
Absences do not break continuity and still count if each is shorter than six consecutive months and they total no more than 10 months within the five years.
Periods of absence from the areas controlled by the Government of the Republic shall not interrupt the period of residence and shall be taken into account for its calculation where they are shorter than six consecutive months and do not exceed in total 10 months within the relevant 5-year period.
Applications are submitted only at the Migration Department offices in Nicosia on form MLT3 with every listed document (incomplete files are not accepted); the fee is EUR 30 and processing takes 6-12 months. Documents include an open-ended (or 18-month) stamped employment contract or a self-employment statement, a Cyprus criminal record, health insurance, a Greek A2 certificate plus a certificate on Cyprus political and social reality, 12 months of bank statements, a title of ownership (or stamped deed of sale) or a valid rental agreement, and 5 years of tax returns and social-insurance contributions. The initial permit is valid 5 years. Status can be withdrawn for fraud, expulsion, public order or security, 12 consecutive months outside the EU, long-term status in another member state, or 6 consecutive years outside Cyprus.
Applications along with the required original documents, stated in the relevant document lists, should be submitted only at the Offices of the Migration Department in Nicosia.
Applications that are not accompanied by all the required documents listed below will not be accepted for consideration.
The fees for submitting this application amount to €30.
The relevant application form (MLT3)
The time of examination is between 6 – 12 months.
Stamped (by Stamps Commissioner) contract of employment of open duration or for at least 18 months. In case of self-employment, a written statement of self-employment is required with description of the intended job and declaration of the expected.
Original Criminal record certificate issued by the Republic. Health Insurance Policy which covers the applicant in the Republic of Cyprus (in-patient and out-patient treatment).
Certificate of knowledge of the Greek language (level A2) for foreigners, from the Ministry of Education. Certificate of basic knowledge of Greek language AND Certificate of Cyprus political and social reality.
Bank accounts statements for 12 months period.
Tax Declarations of the last 5 years and Tax Clearance Certificate of any tax obligations.
Statement of contributions to the Social Insurance Fund for the last 5 years.
The initial residence permit is valid for 5 years.
The long-term residence status may be withdrawn and the permit revoked in case of: Fraudulent acquisition, including conducting a marriage of convenience. Adoption of expulsion measures. Absence from the Community for twelve consecutive months. Public order or public security reasons Acquisition of the long-term residence status in another member state. Absence from the Republic for six consecutive years.
Title of ownership of a house/ an apartment (if the title of ownership has not been obtained yet, the applicant must submit the deed of sale duly stamped by the Stamps Commissioner and the Department of Lands & Surveys and proof of payment) or valid rental agreement
These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.
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