Cyprus Explains How Many Years Foreigners Must Stay in Country Before Applying For Citizenship
- Cyprus updated its citizenship by naturalization rules on 19 December 2023, setting out clear residency requirements for foreign applicants
- Foreigners must meet a two-part legal residency condition before they can submit an application for Cypriot citizenship
- Applications come with specific fees and must be submitted in person at district offices alongside a set of certified documents
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Cyprus has laid out exactly how long foreigners must live in the country before they can apply for citizenship by naturalisation, following amendments to the Civil Registry Law that took effect on 19 December 2023.
Under the updated rules, adult applicants must satisfy two residency conditions at the same time. First, they must have lived legally and continuously in Cyprus for 12 months immediately before submitting their application.
Source: UGC
Short absences of up to 90 days in total are permitted during this period without breaking the continuity of residence.
Cyprus citizenship: The 7-year residency requirement
The second condition looks further back. In the ten years that precede that final 12-month stretch, applicants must be able to show that they were legally resident in Cyprus for a combined total of at least seven years.
This means the overall commitment before becoming eligible for citizenship amounts to roughly eight years of lawful residence within a ten-year window.
How to apply for Cypriot citizenship
Applications are submitted using form M127, which must be lodged in person at the relevant local District Administration Office. The form must be signed in the presence of a Registrar, and all supporting documents need to be properly certified and translated before submission.
The process also carries a set of fees. A non-refundable submission fee of €500 (N781,000) is required upfront, along with two stamps worth €8.54 each (N13,300), which must be affixed to the application.
Should the application be approved, a further fee of €500 becomes payable for the issuance of the naturalisation certificate.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.
Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs has outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.
Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.
The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
Source: Legit.ng
