If you’ve been Googling “Cyprus Golden Visa”, you’ve probably noticed something confusing: people use the phrase as a catch-all, but Cyprus doesn’t have 1 single product actually called the “Golden Visa” in the way Portugal or Greece are often described.

In practice, when people say “Cyprus Golden Visa”, they usually mean Cyprus Permanent Residency through investment (a fast-track permanent residence route that’s widely marketed under the “golden visa” nickname). Cyprus also has other legitimate residency routes that can suit you better, depending on whether you want to invest, live in Cyprus full-time, or simply secure a long-term Plan B.

This guide breaks it down clearly, so you choose the right route — and document it properly.

What people are usually referring to when they say “Cyprus Golden Visa”

Most of the time, “Cyprus Golden Visa” = permanent residency via a qualifying investment, typically with €300,000 as the headline figure. On Coates Global’s Cyprus Residency by Investment page, the key headline points are clear: minimum €300,000 investment, income requirement, family inclusion, and a route designed to be held without needing to live in Cyprus full-time.

It’s also worth clearing up a common mix-up: Cyprus previously had a “golden passport” (citizenship-by-investment) scheme, but that programme was abolished in 2020 after significant controversy. So if someone tells you Cyprus “still sells passports”, they’re either out of date or talking about something else entirely.

Route 1: Cyprus Permanent Residency by Investment (the one most people mean)

This is the route that gets nicknamed “Golden Visa” in everyday conversation.

The basic qualifying criteria

To qualify, you typically need:

• A qualifying investment of at least €300,000 (excluding VAT) in specific categories (new residential property, new commercial units, shares in a Cyprus company with substance/employees, or qualifying fund units). 
• A secured annual income from abroad of at least €50,000 for the main applicant, +€15,000 for a spouse, and +€10,000 per dependent child. 
• A clean criminal record and private health insurance. 
• You can generally own/operate a business, but you’re not permitted to take salaried employment locally under this route. 

What those numbers look like in £ (UK-friendly budgeting)

Using a recent reference rate of €1 ≈ £0.868344 (22 January 2026), your headline figures look roughly like this:

• €300,000 ≈ £260,503
• €50,000 income requirement ≈ £43,417
• €15,000 (spouse add-on) ≈ £13,025
• €10,000 (per child add-on) ≈ £8,683

(Exchange rates move, but this gives you a sensible planning range.)

Fees and “extras” you should plan for

Beyond the investment and income thresholds, the Coates Global outline includes typical costs such as:

• Government application fee: €500 per applicant
• Permit issuance fee: €70 per applicant
• Legal fees: often shown in a range (depending on family size and complexity) 

If you want a bigger-picture comparison of total “all-in” costs across Europe (including how different countries stack up), the style of breakdown in Portugal Golden Visa cost shows how we think about budgeting: not just the investment, but also government fees, document packs, and admin travel. 

Who this route tends to suit

You’ll usually like this route if you want:

• A long-term EU base without needing to live in-country full-time
• A family-friendly structure (spouse + dependants, subject to rules)
• A clear “investment + documentation” pathway rather than building residence over many years

For an overview of Cyprus options in 1 place, start at the Cyprus country page.

Route 2: Cyprus Financially Independent Person Visa (FIP) (no investment route)

If “I don’t want to invest €300,000+ right now” is your vibe, the FIP route can be a better fit.

On the Coates Global Cyprus Financially Independent Person Visa page, the core concept is simple: you qualify through passive income (and supporting financial evidence), rather than an investment purchase.

Key points commonly highlighted:

• No requirement to buy property (you do still need accommodation via ownership or a long-term rental)
• A minimum annual income figure is specified, with different amounts for the main applicant, spouse, and dependent children
• A Cyprus bank deposit is often part of the package (as described on the page) 
• No employment locally under the visa conditions

This can work well for you if you’re retired, living off dividends/rent, or you simply want a calmer, lower-capital route.

Route 3: Digital Nomad and other “live-in” pathways (not the same as a Golden Visa)

Cyprus also has residency options that are more “you actually live here and build your status over time” rather than “invest and hold”.

The Coates Global Cyprus overview lists a Digital Nomad Visa route alongside investment and FIP options, which is useful if your plan is to base yourself in Cyprus for lifestyle (and you earn remotely). 

This matters because a lot of people hear “Golden Visa” and assume it’s the best or only way. It isn’t. If you’re going to be on the ground in Cyprus anyway, a different residence category might match your reality better.

The UK angle: why Cyprus keeps coming up

For UK families, Cyprus tends to come up for 3 very practical reasons:

1. Lifestyle and familiarity (English is widely used in many settings, strong expat networks).
2. Plan B residency for travel flexibility and long-term optionality.
3. Existing UK–Cyprus ties: the UK government has previously estimated around 30,000 British nationals live in Cyprus (with a proportion in the north of the island).

And zooming out, UK long-term emigration is still meaningful in scale — for year ending December 2024, provisional total long-term emigration was estimated at 517,000.
(That number isn’t Cyprus-specific, but it’s a helpful sense-check: plenty of UK residents are actively building international options.)

How you choose the “correct” route (and avoid expensive mistakes)

A simple way to decide:

• If you want fast-track permanence and you’re comfortable allocating capital: focus on permanent residency investment.
• If you want residency without a large investment: explore the FIP route.
• If you want to live in Cyprus and work remotely: consider the digital nomad pathway and plan your longer-term residence strategy.

If you’re comparing Cyprus against other EU residency routes, use Comparing Residency & Citizenship Programmes to keep the decision grounded in outcomes (mobility, family inclusion, timelines, and long-term settlement).
And if you want to see the wider menu of routes we cover, start at Residency and Citizenship by Investment or the broader Residency by Investment Programmes.

FAQs

Is Cyprus “Golden Visa” actually a real visa name?

Not usually. It’s a popular nickname for Cyprus permanent residency through investment (and sometimes used loosely for other long-term residence options). 

Does Cyprus still offer citizenship by investment?

No — Cyprus shut down its citizenship-by-investment (“golden passport”) scheme in 2020. 

Do you have to live in Cyprus to keep permanent residency by investment?

The Coates Global programme outline emphasises no requirement to live in Cyprus for that investment-based residency.

Can you work in Cyprus on these routes?

The investment permanent residency route and the FIP route generally restrict salaried employment locally (with some scope to own/operate businesses depending on the category).

What’s the biggest “gotcha” UK applicants run into?

Documentation and assumptions. People hear “Golden Visa”, buy something quickly, and only later learn the investment must fit specific categories, funds must be evidenced properly, and income needs to be shown in a very particular way. If you want the legal view on process and pitfalls, see Residency by investment solicitor. 

Ready to choose the right Cyprus route — and get it done properly?

If you want clarity fast, speak with Coates Global. The right answer depends on your family profile, your appetite for investment, and how you actually plan to use Cyprus (Plan B vs full relocation).

Ready to take the next step towards EU residency or citizenship? Speak to Coates Global today for clear, compliant guidance tailored to your goals. Whether you need a portugal golden visa solicitor, a hungary golden visa solicitor, an italy investor visa consultant, or a malta citizenship by investment solicitor, we’ll help you understand eligibility, costs, timeframes, and documentation—so you can move forward with confidence. Book a consultation and get a clear plan from day 1.