Cypriot citizenship: what happened in 2020 and what is left

Cypriot citizenship is still searched for constantly, but the thing people picture no longer exists. The passport-for-investment programme stopped taking applications in 2020 and was struck from the statute book at the end of 2025. This piece sets out what remains, and whether what remains is enough for your family.

What happened in 2020

For years Cyprus was the EU member state that granted passports directly to investors. That programme closed to new applicants in 2020, and by late 2025 its legal basis had been repealed outright. There is no longer any way to buy Cypriot citizenship, and nothing is queued up to reopen.

That is worth stating plainly, because the market still contains people selling it. A fee schedule for a Cypriot passport is a reason to end the conversation. Malta went the same way: its citizenship-by-investment route was repealed in July 2025 following a ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union. An EU passport bought with capital is no longer one country's story — the door has closed across the bloc.

What a Cypriot passport now requires

One route only: naturalisation counted in years of genuine residence.

• Twelve months of continuous lawful residence immediately before filing, with absences totalling no more than 90 days.
• At least seven cumulative years of lawful residence in the ten years preceding that twelve-month period.
• Greek at B1, and a pass of 60% or more in the exam on Cypriot political and social life.
• Suitable accommodation, stable resources, and the intention to go on living in Cyprus.

Genuine is the operative word. Hold the card while visiting once every two years and none of those years count, because the law demands continuous, real residence.

A shorter road for people who work there

There is an exception few people mention. Highly qualified staff at companies registered with the Business Facilitation Unit may apply after four years with Greek at A2, or three years at B1. That route is for people who actually move to Cyprus to work, not for investors holding a card from a distance.

What Cyprus is actually issuing

What remains, and what most Vietnamese families are really after, is residence by investment.

• EUR 300,000 excluding VAT, into residential property bought new from the developer, commercial property, shares in a Cypriot company, or units in a Cypriot investment fund.
• Secured foreign income of at least EUR 50,000 a year, plus EUR 15,000 for a spouse and EUR 10,000 for each dependent child.
• A decision in roughly two to three months once the file is complete.
• The card is permanent and never renewed. Upkeep is light: visit Cyprus once every two years, hold the investment, and file the annual declaration.

Dependent children up to 25 who are studying full time and unmarried are included on the same application.

One thing to check at the time you file: Cyprus does not yet apply the Schengen rules in full, so a Cypriot card is not automatically a substitute for a Schengen visa.

Being clear before you commit

Cypriot residence is a good card for a family that wants a European foothold while the business stays in Vietnam. It is not the first rung of a citizenship ladder unless the family genuinely moves. Keep the two objectives apart from the outset, because they lead to different choices of asset and different arrangements at home.

The full conditions of the residence route, and the points where files come unstuck, are on our Cyprus residency page. If a passport is the goal, compare the Cypriot clock with the others on our citizenship page.

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The information in this article is for reference at the time of writing. It is not legal advice and no outcome is promised — immigration policy, tax rules and market conditions can change. For an assessment based on your family's specific circumstances, please request a consultation with the VNIS Investment team.