Cyprus Startup Visa
Residency route facts
Identity
| Official name (local) | Not established from a qualifying source[2] |
|---|---|
| Official name (English) | Cyprus Startup Visa as of 2026-08-07[1][2] Both the Migration Department page and the gov.cy service page name the scheme 'Cyprus Startup Visa' in English. English is not an official language of Cyprus. |
| Legal basis | Not established from a qualifying source[1][2] Neither Tier-1 page cites a statute, regulation or Council of Ministers decision number for the Scheme. It is administered by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, with entry and residence handled by the Department of Civil Registry and Migration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. |
| Instrument type | residence permit as of 2026-08-07[2] A temporary residence permit, preceded by a Notification of Initial Approval from the Deputy Ministry and, for applicants abroad, an entry visa. |
Who can apply
| Nationals not served by this route | EU, EEA as of 2026-08-07[1][2] Both pages state that the Scheme is for entrepreneurs from third countries, outside the European Union and outside the European Economic Area. |
|---|---|
| Criminal-record condition | Not established from a qualifying source[2] Not stated on either page. |
Permit terms
| Initial duration | 1 year as of 2026-08-07[2] |
|---|---|
| Renewable | Yes as of 2026-08-07[2] The fee schedule provides for issue or renewal of a temporary residence permit, and the Notification of Initial Approval is renewable for at least another year. |
| Renewal duration | Not established from a qualifying source[2] Not stated for the residence permit. The Notification of Initial Approval is renewable 'for at least another year', which is a floor rather than a term. |
| Maximum total duration | Not established from a qualifying source[2] Not stated. |
| Work rights | own activity only as of 2026-08-07[2] The Notification of Initial Approval grants the right to economic activity in the Republic for the purpose of establishing, operating or developing the startup. Neither page states whether any other employment is permitted. |
Permanent residence and citizenship
| Counts toward permanent residence | Not established from a qualifying source[2] Not stated on either page. |
|---|
Requirements
| Minimum capital | Not established from a qualifying source[1][2] |
|---|---|
| Business plan required | Yes as of 2026-08-07[1] The gov.cy service page lists 'Annex II – Guidelines for drafting a Business Plan' among the documents of the application pack, together with the application form (Annex I) and a certificate from an external auditor (Annex IV). |
| Endorsement required | Yes as of 2026-08-07[2] The Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy approves or rejects the application and issues the Notification of Initial Approval; the initial approval does not itself guarantee entry, residence or employment. |
| Innovation criterion | Yes as of 2026-08-07[1][2] Both pages state that the Scheme is for a startup with high growth potential and supports the establishment of new innovative startups or the relocation of established innovative startups to Cyprus. |
| Jobs to be created | Not established from a qualifying source[2] The Scheme's stated goal includes the creation of new jobs, but no number is published on either page. |
Process
| Where to apply from | either as of 2026-08-07[2] Explicitly both: an applicant who obtains the Notification of Initial Approval while abroad must within six months apply to the consular authorities or to the Department of Civil Registry and Migration for entry, registration and residence; an applicant who obtains it while legally staying in the Republic must apply to the Department within one month. An applicant present as a visitor must first request a change of residence status, reviewed within five weeks. |
|---|---|
| Statutory processing time | Not established from a qualifying source[2] No statutory clock is stated; the published periods are administrative service standards (five weeks for the initial approval, three weeks for the entry and residence application, five weeks for a change of status). |
| Observed processing time | 21 to 35 days as of 2026-08-07[2] |
| Fees | |
| Stages |
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Physical presence
| none stated | to keep the permit as of 2026-08-07[2] |
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Your next step
Read the requirements above considering your own situation: the income multiple, the absence limits, who you can bring. Check the country record for the reference figure those amounts are calculated from, and for anything that has changed recently.
The next step is your own case. That assessment is legal work. Create profile for our assistance in this.
Profile benefits
- A 30-minute call with our consultant, who reads your profile first.
- An offer for legal support built around your case, covering the whole process.
Verification
| Sources cited | 2 |
|---|---|
| of which official (tier 1) | 2 |
| Oldest as-of date | 2026-08-07 |
| Newest as-of date | 2026-08-07 |
| Reviewed on | 2026-08-11 |
| Schema version | 1.1 |
Sources
- [1] Apply for a Cyprus Startup Visa
Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy (published on gov.cy) · official portal · Tier 1 · Accessed 2026-08-07 · Archived copy - [2] Startup Visa
Migration Department, Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection · official portal · Tier 1 · Published 2026-01-28 · Accessed 2026-08-07