For those who dream of becoming a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus in the near future, we have prepared comprehensive material that will help you with this. But still, even after reading this article, it is important to get expert advice in order to find a personal solution for your particular situation.
Conditions for obtaining Cypriot citizenship
For all those who decide to obtain citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus, we recommend that you refer to the legislation of this country. It describes the possible ways of obtaining citizenship. There are only three of them:
- Naturalization. This is one of the ways to obtain citizenship for those who have been legally residing in this country for a long time (at least 7 years).
- Marriage. This method of obtaining citizenship is available to those who have changed their social status: entered into official relations (married / married) with a citizen of this country.
- Birth or lineage. In this case, the child automatically becomes a citizen of Cyprus if one of the parents is a citizen of this country.
Who oversees issues related to obtaining citizenship?
The Civil Registry and Migration Department is the government agency responsible for examining applications and granting citizenship of the Republic of Cyprus. At their level, a special department of citizenship (Civil Registry Section) has been created, which oversees issues of granting citizenship.
Naturalization – a way to obtain citizenship
Naturalization is a process that makes it possible to become a citizen of Cyprus on the basis of residence of a certain number of years in the territory of this country.If the applicant lives for 7 years in the territory of Cyprus, then he can apply for citizenship.
We reduce terms
Documents can be submitted earlier (less than 7 years) if the following conditions are met:
The application period is reduced to 5 years if the applicant is a child or parent of a Cypriot citizen.
If the applicant is a resident of the country or holds a permanent residence permit, then the application period is also reduced to 5 years.
Looking forward to your stay on the Cyprus island
To obtain citizenship, the applicant must determine the number of full years of stay on the island. This can be done using a special calculator, which, based on the exit and entry stamps, will calculate the total time spent on the island. The stamps are fixed in the foreign passport. But note that the number of full years lived is one of the criteria that must be followed. There are also additional conditions:
Legality. That is, with registration with the Department of Immigration and an open residence permit.
The applicant must have continuously resided in Cyprus for the last 12 months prior to submitting the application.
Submitting an application
To submit an application, the applicant applies to the district administrative department at the place of residence. The entire package of documents must be prepared in advance – we will talk about it below. It is also necessary to provide relevant documents confirming the exit and entry into the country (based on the stamps in the passport). They will be proof of your stay on the island.Keep in mind that the application for citizenship and the list of documents is assigned to one person. If you are married, then the application and documents are submitted from each person with the payment of the appropriate state fee.
We prepare documents
The completed application is supplemented with mandatory documents. The list will be presented below. It is quite extended, but, as experience shows, all these documents are necessary at the stage of consideration of the application.
- Birth certificate and its certified copy of the person who applies.
- Certificate of no criminal record. Such a document is issued by the police, and usually its original is required to submit documents. To receive it, you must fill out an application form and pay the state fee, which is 17 euros. The answer will have to wait about two weeks, after which it comes to the applicant by mail. You can get a certificate from any police station, but to speed up the process, you can go directly to the central police office in Nicosia.
- If the applicant is married, then the appropriate certificate must be provided. Don’t forget a copy of it too.
- If the applicant is divorced, a divorce certificate and a photocopy of the document will be required.
Do not forget the originals and copies of all passports that indicate arrivals and departures from Cyprus. - he applicant must place two consecutive ads in a daily newspaper of the Republic of Cyprus.
- Two photos with a seal affixed by the head of the community where the applicant lives. The format of the photographs must be the same as in the passport.
- Prepare a resume and work permit.
- It is also important to provide the original document confirming residency.
- The last residence permit of the Republic of Cyprus (original and copy). This document must be valid at the time the application is submitted for consideration.
- The original Alien Book/A.R.C document and its photocopy.
- The fact of payment of the state fee for consideration of the application in the amount of 500 euros. You must attach the original and its photocopy.
There are also documents that are often not listed in official lists. But it is desirable to provide them. This is a certificate of employment indicating income, a diploma of basic education, as well as various certificates that confirm the completion of courses. If documents are submitted in Russian, they must be translated into Greek or English.
Two interviews are not enough
After submitting the documents, the applicant will have to pass two interviews.
- The first interview takes place at the head of the district administration of the city, in the Administrative Department, at the place of residence.
- The second is in the migration service.
The first stage of the interview is scheduled in a month. The interview is conducted by the interviewer. It is advisable to have a dialogue with him in Greek. The applicant needs to be well prepared in order to talk about work experience, education and marital status. The interview with the interviewer will take approximately 15-20 minutes.After that, the documents are sent to Nicosia.
The next stage of the interview is a very crucial moment. He is appointed about six months after the application is submitted, and can be held in a couple of years. It will not be superfluous for the applicant to prepare well before visiting the migration service.
Application processing time and upcoming costs
Applying for citizenship and its consideration are the main costs that applicants expect. Future citizens of the Republic of Cyprus will have to pay 500 euros for filing an application and the same amount for its consideration. As a result, the expenditure of funds will be 1000 euros.
There are, of course, other costs, but they mainly depend on the method of processing the application and its timing.
Non-residents of Cyprus can obtain citizenship in two years. This period includes the period for consideration of the application for citizenship, as well as its granting.
But pay attention to the fact that the time for obtaining citizenship is constantly increasing.
