How long can I stay in Cyprus if I own property?

Owning property doesn't change your visitor allowance: UK passport holders get 90 days in any 180. To stay longer you need a permit, and only a qualifying €300,000 new-build leads to permanent residence.

Does the €300,000 include VAT?

No. The market value must be at least €300,000 plus VAT, and your receipts must reach €300,000 excluding VAT when you apply.

Can I apply before the property is finished?

Yes. The receipts test applies regardless of the delivery date. You need a contract filed at the Land Registry and receipts of €300,000 excluding VAT.

Can I buy two cheaper apartments instead of one?

Yes. You can buy up to two housing units, from one or two developers, if their combined market value is at least €300,000 plus VAT.

Can I get a mortgage on a PR property?

Not for the qualifying €300,000. The policy requires proof that the investment money came from abroad and isn't the result of domestic borrowing.

Can I rent out the property I bought for residency?

The PR policy doesn't ban letting it, but the 5% VAT rate is only for a home that is your main residence, and local lawyers say you must keep it that way for 10 years. If you plan to let, budget for 19% VAT and name the home you'll actually live in on your application.

Do British buyers need permission to buy property in Cyprus?

Yes. Since Brexit you apply to the District Administration on form COMM 145 under Cap. 109. The Ministry of Interior quotes 2–3 weeks and no fee.

Is it worth buying new-build just for residency?

Only if you'd happily own that home anyway. You must keep it (or a replacement) for as long as you want the permit. If you'd rather rent first, a pink slip and Category F are the alternatives, with a much longer wait. See rent first vs buy in Paphos.

What happens to my residency if I sell?

The permit is cancelled unless you immediately replace the property with another qualifying investment of the same or greater value.

Is the 5% VAT rate still available on new builds in 2026?

Yes, on the first 130 m² and €350,000 of a main residence up to 190 m² and €475,000. Projects with a planning permit from before 31 October 2023 may still use the old 200 m² rules until 31 December 2026.

What does a lawyer charge for a property-based PR application?

One Cyprus law firm publishes PR packages of about €3,000 for a single applicant and €3,500 for a family. Conveyancing on the purchase may be quoted separately, so ask for both in writing.

Buy Property in Cyprus and Get Residency: €300k Rules

Buy Property in Cyprus and Get Residency: The €300,000 Property Rules

Yes, you can buy property in Cyprus and get permanent residency, but only if it's a first-sale home from a developer (or qualifying commercial property) worth at least €300,000 before VAT, paid with money from abroad. A resale villa at twice the price doesn't count. Here's what qualifies, what it really costs and how to buy it safely.

JJason 13 min read Last verified 27 September 2026

Check my PR readiness Get a property and PR lawyer

The short version

Residential property qualifies only as a first sale from a development company, worth at least €300,000 plus VAT. Resale homes don't count (unless the contract was filed before 7 May 2013).

Up to 2 units can be combined to reach €300,000. Commercial property (offices, shops, hotels) can be resale.

Receipts of at least €300,000 excluding VAT must exist when you apply, even if the building isn't finished. The money must arrive from abroad, not from a Cyprus loan.

VAT is on top: 19% standard, or 5% if the home qualifies as your primary residence. New builds normally pay no Land Registry transfer fees.

UK buyers also need permission to buy from the District Administration (form COMM 145). Couples are limited to 2 units in total.

Sell it and you lose the permit unless you replace it immediately with a qualifying investment of equal or higher value.

Can you buy property in Cyprus and get residency?

Yes, in two very different ways, and people mix them up constantly.

1. Buying a qualifying €300,000 property gets you permanent residency. Under the fast-track (Regulation 6(2)), a first-sale home from a developer worth at least €300,000 plus VAT, with €50,000 a year of foreign income, leads to a permanent Immigration Permit in about 2 months. That's the route this page covers. The full application process is in the residency by investment guide, and the other two permanent routes are on the Cyprus permanent residency hub.

2. Owning any home helps you get a temporary permit. A resale apartment in Kato Paphos for €180,000 won't get you PR. It will, though, satisfy the accommodation requirement for a visitor permit (the pink slip) and for a later Category F application. So will a rental contract.

In short: owning property in Cyprus doesn't by itself give you any right to live here. Only a property that meets the Regulation 6(2) rules does.

New whitewashed villa with a lit pool at dusk in the hills near Tala — A finished new-build at dusk near Tala

Does this property qualify for Cyprus residency?

Common scenarios checked against the 4th Revision policy (in force since 2 May 2023).

Scenario	Qualifies?	Why
New apartment from a developer, €300,000 + VAT	Yes	Category A: first sale, meets the value
Two new apartments, €160,000 + €150,000 (different developers)	Yes	Up to 2 units; developers can differ
Resale villa from a private owner, €550,000	No	Category A requires a first sale
New home listed at €300,000 including VAT	No	The €300,000 is measured before VAT
Off-plan home, €320,000, €200,000 paid so far	Not yet	Receipts must reach €300,000 excluding VAT at application
Resale shop and office, €300,000 combined	Yes	Category B allows resale and combinations
Three new studios, €100,000 each	No	Residential is capped at 2 units
New home bought through your UK limited company	No	The company must be established in Cyprus or the EU/EEA
New home paid with a Cyprus bank mortgage for the €300,000	No	Qualifying money must come from abroad, not domestic borrowing

Source: Migration Department, Regulation 6(2) policy paragraphs 1.2, 2.1 and 4.1. Always have a lawyer confirm your specific contract.

Myth

Myth: "Buy a house in Cyprus and you can live here"

Reality

Owning a home gives a UK passport holder no extra days. Without a permit you're still a visitor on 90 days in any 180, whether you own a €150,000 flat or a €1 million villa. Only a Regulation 6(2) purchase leads to permanent residence; any other home simply gives you the address you need for a visitor permit or Category F.

The first-sale rule

Under Category A, the home must be sold for the first time by a development company. That's the single rule that rules out most of the Paphos resale market for PR purposes.

House keys and a bowl of lemons on a kitchen island in a new Paphos apartment with sea view — Handover day in a new Paphos apartment

The one exception is historic: resale contracts filed at the Department of Lands and Surveys before 7 May 2013 are still accepted. The Land Registry confirms the filing date.

The homes don't need to come from the same developer, and you can buy up to 2 as long as their combined market value reaches €300,000. The 2-unit cap applies to couples jointly, not per person.

One more condition catches families buying small: if the home doesn't have enough bedrooms for everyone on the application, the policy asks you to name a second property, owned or rented, where the rest of the family will live. A one-bed investment flat for a family of four won't pass on its own.

If you want an older property, look at Category B: offices, shops, hotels or related developments totalling €300,000, which may be resales. You'd then also need to show where you'll live, by title, sale contract or rental agreement.

Payments, receipts and funds from abroad

The Migration Department is strict about the money trail. Three conditions apply at the moment you submit.

Receipts of at least €300,000 excluding VAT. Official payment receipts must show €300,000 or more before VAT, regardless of when the property will be delivered. That's why off-plan buyers often front-load payments.

Money from abroad, not a Cyprus loan. You must prove the investment was transferred to Cyprus from abroad, from your account, your spouse's (if they're on the application), or a company account that you and your spouse solely own. The policy asks for remittance records, foreign card receipts or a bank certificate linked to each payment, and says the money must not result from domestic borrowing.

Paid into a Cyprus bank. The purchase price goes from your account to the seller's account at a Cyprus financial institution.

The contract (or title deed) must also be filed at the Department of Lands and Surveys in your name or your spouse's. If the contract or title is more than a year old when you apply, add a recent Land Registry search certificate.

Watch out

UK companies don't qualify as the buyer

The policy accepts a purchase in a company's name only if you and/or your spouse are the sole shareholders or ultimate beneficial owners and the company is established in Cyprus or another EU/EEA state. Since Brexit, a UK limited company is neither. If you want to hold the property corporately, set up the structure before you sign, and take tax advice on both sides first. See Cyprus company formation.

VAT on a new-build: 19% or 5%

New homes in Cyprus carry VAT, and the PR threshold is measured before it. VAT is either the standard 19% or a reduced 5% under the primary-residence scheme.

Couple arranging potted herbs on a new apartment terrace in Paphos with a sea view — Making a new terrace your own

Under the rules in force since late 2023, the 5% rate applies to the first 130 m² of a home you'll use as your main, permanent residence, and to the first €350,000 of its value, as long as the home is no bigger than 190 m² and the total price is no more than €475,000. Local property lawyers add that you must keep it as your primary residence for 10 years. The Tax Department's reduced-rate page doesn't publish the criteria in a form we could check, so confirm eligibility with your lawyer before you sign.

Deadline to know about: projects whose planning permit was issued by 31 October 2023 can still use the old, more generous rules (5% on the first 200 m², no value cap) under a transitional relief that runs to 31 December 2026, with conditions on when the building permit was issued. If you're buying off-plan in late 2026, have your own lawyer check the project's permit dates before you sign.

€300,000 new home	VAT	Total price
Qualifies for 5%	€15,000	€315,000
Standard 19%	€57,000	€357,000

The upside of VAT: when a sale is subject to VAT, it's fully exempt from Land Registry transfer fees. On a resale, transfer fees run at 3% to 8% (halved), so the gap is smaller than it looks. Stamp duty on property contracts was abolished from 1 January 2026 under the tax reform.

Budget for a €300,000 PR property

One applicant plus spouse, a new-build bought for the fast-track. The couple also needs €65,000 a year of foreign income (€50,000 + €15,000).

Property price (before VAT)The qualifying amount

€300,000

VAT5% if it qualifies, 19% otherwise

€15,000–57,000

Land Registry transfer feesExempt when the sale is subject to VAT

€0

PR application feeOne fee for the family

€500

Alien Registration Certificates€70 × 2 people

€140

Lawyer's PR packageOne Cyprus firm's published fees (single / family); conveyancing may be quoted separately

€3,000–3,500

Apostilles on UK documentsAbout 4–8 documents at £45 each (FCDO standard), at £1 = €1.15

€210–420

Total one-off

€318,850 – €361,560

Sources: Migration Department (fees), Department of Lands and Surveys (transfer fee exemption), local lawyers (VAT scheme), GOV.UK (apostille fees), one law firm's published PR package. Add translations, medical tests and health insurance. Stamp duty no longer applies from 1 January 2026.

UK buyers need permission to buy (form COMM 145)

Since Brexit, British buyers are non-EU nationals under the Acquisition of Immovable Property (Aliens) Law, Cap. 109. Before the title can pass to you, you need permission from the District Administration, applied for on form COMM 145.

A quiet residential lane of newer family homes at Mesogi — Newer family homes at Mesogi, just above Paphos

The Ministry of Interior says permission takes 2 to 3 weeks and costs nothing. Some law firms quote several months in practice, so build in slack. The limits line up neatly with the PR rules:

up to 2 units, which may be at different stages of development
or a plot of up to 4,000 m² to build a home you'll live in
or one home plus a shop up to 100 m², or one home plus an office up to 250 m²
the limits apply to a couple jointly

The application needs the survey, title or planning consent, the sale contract, floor plans, proof of financial standing, passports and your marriage certificate. Your conveyancing lawyer files it. More on the wider purchase in buying property in Paphos.

How to buy a PR property safely

1
Instruct an independent lawyer
Before viewing
Not the developer's lawyer. They'll check the developer, the land and the payment schedule against the PR policy.
2
Run the checks
1–2 weeks
A Land Search Certificate from the Land Registry shows mortgages on the land. GOV.UK warns that developers often mortgage land and buyers can be exposed if the developer fails. Ask whether separate title deeds exist or when they'll be issued.
3
Sign and file the contract
Week 2–4
Your lawyer files it at the Land Registry, which protects you through specific performance and is a PR requirement.
4
Pay from abroad
Per schedule
Send payments from your UK or other foreign account to the seller's Cyprus account until receipts reach €300,000 excluding VAT.
5
Apply for COMM 145 permission
2–3 weeks stated
Your lawyer applies to the District Administration for permission to acquire.
6
File the PR application
About 2 months
Submit form MIP2 with the contract, receipts and proof of funds to the Migration Department in Nicosia.

Free introduction

Get a lawyer who checks the property and the PR file together

We'll introduce you to a vetted, developer-independent lawyer in Cyprus who handles the purchase, COMM 145 and the fast-track application. The introduction is free and you get a written quote.

Independent of developers and estate agents
Land search and title checks before you pay
One lawyer for the purchase and the permit

Founder-led. Replies within one working day.

Hillside villas at Peyia above the sea — Villas stepping down the hillside at Peyia

Selling, upgrading or swapping the property later

You can sell, but you can't be without a qualifying investment. The policy says that disposing of the investment without its immediate replacement with another of the same or greater value, meeting the same conditions, cancels the Immigration Permit. There's no stated grace period.

In practice that means you line up the replacement first. If you're upgrading within Paphos, the new home must also be a qualifying first sale (or a Category B asset) worth at least €300,000.

You also prove every year that you still hold the investment. The policy says nothing about falls in market value, so ask your lawyer how the Department treats them. A replacement property must meet the €300,000 threshold when you buy it.

Adult children and higher investments

If an adult child who isn't financially dependent on you wants PR from the same investment, multiply the €300,000: €600,000 for one adult child, €900,000 for two. For property, at least 66% of the market value must be paid at application, and each adult child needs their own €50,000 a year income. Students aged 18–25 who depend on you are cheaper: an extra €10,000 a year of income, no extra investment.

Buying property for Cyprus residency: FAQ

Yes, if it's a first-sale house from a developer worth at least €300,000 plus VAT, paid with money from abroad, and you have €50,000 a year of foreign income. A resale house doesn't qualify for the fast-track.

Before you reserve

Check you qualify before you pay a deposit

The PR readiness check tests your property plan, income and family setup against the Regulation 6(2) rules.

Check my PR readiness Read the full investment route guide

Sources checked for this page

1.Migration Department — Immigration permits for investors, Regulation 6(2) (4th Revision)Government
2.Ministry of Interior — Purchasing property by non-EU nationals (COMM 145)Government
3.Department of Lands and Surveys — Transfer feesGovernment
4.GOV.UK — How to buy property in CyprusGovernment
5.Migration Department — Immigration permit forms (MIP2)Government
6.GOV.UK — Living in CyprusGovernment
7.Michael Kyprianou — Cyprus VAT on first homes and transitional relief to 31 Dec 2026 (April 2026)Professional
8.GOV.UK — Get a document legalised (apostille fees)Government
9.G. Kouzalis LLC — Cyprus golden visa 2026 (published legal package fees)Professional
10.GOV.UK — Cyprus entry requirements (90 days in any 180)Government

Written by

Jason

Founder, Paphos Advisor

British founder who moved his family from the UK to Paphos in 2025. I write down what I learned doing it properly — the tax, the residency and the living-here detail — and introduce people to the specialists I’d use myself.

How I research and fact-check

Buy Property in Cyprus and Get Residency: The €300,000 Property Rules

Can you buy property in Cyprus and get residency?

Does this property qualify for Cyprus residency?

The first-sale rule

Payments, receipts and funds from abroad

VAT on a new-build: 19% or 5%

Budget for a €300,000 PR property

UK buyers need permission to buy (form COMM 145)

How to buy a PR property safely

Instruct an independent lawyer

Run the checks

Sign and file the contract

Pay from abroad

Apply for COMM 145 permission

File the PR application

Get a lawyer who checks the property and the PR file together

Selling, upgrading or swapping the property later

Adult children and higher investments

Buying property for Cyprus residency: FAQ

Can I get residency in Cyprus if I buy a house?

How long can I stay in Cyprus if I own property?

Does the €300,000 include VAT?

Can I apply before the property is finished?

Can I buy two cheaper apartments instead of one?

Can I get a mortgage on a PR property?

Can I rent out the property I bought for residency?

Do British buyers need permission to buy property in Cyprus?

Is it worth buying new-build just for residency?

What happens to my residency if I sell?

Is the 5% VAT rate still available on new builds in 2026?

What does a lawyer charge for a property-based PR application?

Sources checked for this page

Keep reading

Can you buy property in Cyprus and get residency?

Does this property qualify for Cyprus residency?

Payments, receipts and funds from abroad

Budget for a €300,000 PR property

UK buyers need permission to buy (form COMM 145)

How to buy a PR property safely

Instruct an independent lawyer

Run the checks

Sign and file the contract

Pay from abroad

Apply for COMM 145 permission

File the PR application

Get a lawyer who checks the property and the PR file together

Selling, upgrading or swapping the property later

Adult children and higher investments

Buying property for Cyprus residency: FAQ

Can I get residency in Cyprus if I buy a house?

How long can I stay in Cyprus if I own property?

Does the €300,000 include VAT?

Can I apply before the property is finished?

Can I buy two cheaper apartments instead of one?

Can I get a mortgage on a PR property?

Can I rent out the property I bought for residency?

Do British buyers need permission to buy property in Cyprus?

Is it worth buying new-build just for residency?

What happens to my residency if I sell?

Is the 5% VAT rate still available on new builds in 2026?

What does a lawyer charge for a property-based PR application?