Cyprus Category F Income-Based Immigration Permit

Category F is an income-based immigration permit under Regulation 5 of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations. It is not a visa and must not be confused with the separate Regulation 6(2) investor permanent-residence policy.

Who Category F is for

The route is for a person with secured income from abroad who can live in Cyprus without undertaking a business, trade, profession or employment in the Republic. Passive ownership does not itself create a work right, and an active or unpaid company office should not be assumed permitted merely because no salary is paid.

Published income baseline

The current Migration Department page states a secured annual income baseline of EUR 9,568.17 for the applicant plus EUR 4,613.22 for each dependant. The authority assesses whether the income is adequate and stable for the actual household. Use the live MIP2 form and Category F supporting-document list.

Property and accommodation

Category F has no fixed EUR 300,000 investment requirement. The applicant must evidence suitable accommodation, which can be owned or rented, under the current checklist. A property purchase does not convert the file into Regulation 6(2) and does not guarantee approval.

Procedure and timing

Category F follows the ordinary immigration-permit procedure. The Migration Department does not apply the estimated two-month examination period published for the separate Regulation 6(2) investor policy. Timing depends on the complete file, checks and workload; old 18-to-24-month estimates should not be stated as a legal deadline.

Status and absence

An approved Category F immigration permit can provide permanent residence subject to its continuing conditions and the statutory loss rules. The residence document has its own replacement or renewal process. Remaining outside Cyprus for two years can affect the status.

Family, travel and citizenship

Family inclusion follows the applicable dependant rules and form. Category F is not EU citizenship, does not itself grant Schengen free movement and does not automatically produce EU long-term-resident status or citizenship. Any later M127 naturalisation application requires the separate physical-residence, absence, language, knowledge, character and other statutory conditions.

Category F compared with visitor and investor residence

• Category F: Regulation 5, secured foreign income, no business/trade/profession/employment.
• Visitor Pink Slip: temporary Regulation 14 residence without economic activity; the live checklist controls sufficient resources and the first permit is normally one year.
• Regulation 6(2): expedited permanent residence based on at least EUR 300,000 in one of four eligible categories plus current income and quality conditions.