The Pink Slip is a temporary residence permit for non-EU citizens who wish to live in Cyprus for more than 90 days without working for a Cypriot employer. The permit is valid for one year, renewable annually, and is issued by the Civil Registry and Migration Department (CRMD). With this, you can obtain the well-known “non-dom status”.
For the pink slip, you need: 24,000 euros in proven annual income from abroad, a balance of 10,000 euros in a Cypriot bank account, a rental contract of at least one year or a title deed, local health insurance, and a series of medical examinations. The procedure takes 3 to 6 months, and you may legally remain in Cyprus for that entire period based on your proof of submission.
The rule that most guides omit: the permit automatically expires if you stay outside Cyprus for more than 90 consecutive days.
Ready to secure your tax-free European base?
Do you have any questions or comments regarding the Cyprus Pink Slip, or do you need help with the application and arrangement? We are happy to assist you.
The Pink Slip is a national residence permit based on the Aliens and Immigration Law (Cap. 105) and Article 14 of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations. The permit allows a non-EU citizen to reside in Cyprus as a visitor for one year at a time, based on income earned outside Cyprus.
The name refers to the color of the old paper certificate. Today, you receive a biometric card, the Alien Registration Certificate, containing your ARC number. That number stays with you for every subsequent permit you apply for in Cyprus, including permanent residence.
Most guides treat the Pink Slip as an administrative formality for those wishing to stay longer than 90 days. That approach does the permit a disservice.
For an entrepreneur or investor, the Pink Slip is the legal residence anchor with which you establish tax residency in Cyprus and non-dom status , without the investment of 300,000 euros in real estate that the route via Article 6(2) requires.
The Civil Registry & Migration Department selects based on financial independence. Each point below is a strict condition. The most common reason for refusal is a document that is substantively correct but formally in order.
You must demonstrate a stable annual income of at least 24,000 euros, i.e. 2,000 euros per month, from outside Cyprus. Accepted sources are foreign wages including remote work, pensions, dividends, foreign rental income, interest, and investment income.
| Family composition | Calculation | Required annual income |
|---|---|---|
| Single applicant | Base amount | 24,000 euros |
| Couple | Base amount plus 20 percent | 28,800 euros |
| Couple with 1 child | Base amount plus 20 percent plus 15 percent | 32,400 euros |
| Couple with 2 children | Base amount plus 20 percent plus 30 percent | 36,000 euros |
| Single parent with 1 child | Base amount plus 15 percent | 27,600 euros |
Show an income that is clearly above the threshold and not exactly at the threshold. Files totaling exactly 24,000 euros with irregular monthly income raise questions. A pattern of regular monthly transfers of 2,200 to 2,500 euros is easier for a case handler to read than a single annual deposit.
You must have a Cypriot bank account with a balance of at least 10,000 euros at the time of application, and that money must have arrived from abroad. Bring the SWIFT confirmation proving the foreign origin. If you bring cash instead, you must declare that amount at the airport upon arrival and you will need the customs certificate.
Upon renewal, the required balance drops to 6,000 euros. The service therefore requests proof that approximately 24,000 euros have been transferred to Cyprus over the past twelve months.
Most non-EU citizens are required to provide a bank guarantee covering potential repatriation costs, between 350 and 850 euros per family member depending on nationality. Three details where people get stuck:
Exempt nationalities. Applicants from the following countries are not required to provide a bank guarantee: the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Singapore, Norway, Andorra, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Monaco, Qatar, Switzerland, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates. Some district offices also treat other nationalities as exempt. Therefore, check your own situation before planning this amount.
You need a rental agreement with a term of at least one year, or the purchase agreement and ownership documents for a home you own. The rental agreement must be legalized by the local Muhtar or by a certifying officer. Please note: stamp duties were completely abolished on January 1, 2026. The old obligation to have the contract stamped by the tax authorities has therefore been eliminated, although some district offices still require a reference from the tax authorities for more expensive rental contracts.
The address on the rental agreement is the address on your permit. That address determines which district office handles your file. If you move during the term of the contract, you must report this.
You need a private policy from an insurer with a Cypriot license, usually sold as an immigration policy “Plan A”, with coverage for hospitalization, outpatient care, and repatriation of remains. Expect to pay 175 to 250 euros per person per year. GESY does not replace this policy at the time of application.
Mandatory, to be performed in a recognized clinic in Cyprus, with results dating from no more than four months prior to submission:
These examinations are not repeated upon renewal.
You need a blank criminal record extract from your country of origin, and additionally one from your country of residence if you live elsewhere. The document must bear an apostille and, if it is not written in English or Greek, an official translation. Most district offices accept extracts no older than three months, some up to six months. Apply for it before you leave, as the apostille procedure in Belgium and the Netherlands alone takes two to four weeks.
Your passport must be valid for at least 15 months after the date of your application, and the page with your last entry stamp in Cyprus must be visible.
Prepare your documents before you leave.
Request an apostilled criminal record extract and gather twelve months of proof of income while you are still in your country of origin. This is the biggest cause of delays, and it is not something you can resolve quickly from Cyprus.
Enter Cyprus legally.
Use your 90-day visa-free period, or a national visa if your nationality requires it. Keep the entry stamp. Your full timeline starts on that date.
Arrange your housing.
Sign a rental agreement with a term of at least one year, or finalize a property purchase. Have the rental agreement legalized by the Muhtar of the municipality where the property is located.
Open a Cypriot bank account and transfer money.
This is the most difficult step and the reason why most independently submitted applications stall. Transfer at least 10,000 euros from a foreign account in your own name and keep the SWIFT confirmation.
Arrange your insurance and medical examinations.
Purchase the Plan A immigration policy and then have the blood tests and X-rays performed at an accredited clinic. Allow 3 to 7 days for the results.
Book your appointment.
Appointments at the district offices in Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca, Nicosia, and Famagusta are usually scheduled 2 to 3 weeks in advance. Book within the first few days after arrival, and not in week eleven.
Submit in person and provide your biometric data.
Come by with the complete file, pay 70 euros in application fees and 70 euros in registration fees, provide your fingerprints and photo, and bring your proof of submission.
Wait, and legally so.
With the submission confirmation, you may stay in Cyprus while your file is being reviewed, even after 90 days have passed. Expect 3 to 6 months. You will receive a text message as soon as your card is ready, and you collect it in person at the same office. Biometric cards are not sent by mail.
Not for a Cypriot employer. Article 14 stipulates that holders of a visitor permit may not engage in economic activity in the Republic. Taking a local job invalidates your permit.
If you want to send invoices to customers from Cyprus, the proper structure is a Cypriot company with you as director and shareholder, taxed at 15 percent, where you receive distributions as dividends.
After five years of uninterrupted legal residence, with the years on an extended Pink Slip counting towards this total, you can apply for Long-Term Resident status within the European framework for long-term residents.
It is the upgrade that most people should be working towards, and the status is clearly better than permanent residence via Category F, because it provides access to the labour market and recognition in other EU Member States.
It is a separate application with its own conditions regarding stable income, health insurance, and integration. Continuity is what counts: actual physical presence, not residence on paper.
For Cypriot citizenship, you need twelve months of continuous residence immediately before your application, plus seven years of residence in the ten years prior, making a total of eight years.
You will also take a Greek exam and a test on social and political life in Cyprus. Upon approval, you will receive a full European passport.
You will receive a written decision stating the reason. The recurring causes are an insufficient or poorly substantiated bank balance, an insurance policy that does not meet the conditions of Plan A, a lease agreement shorter than one year or not correctly legalized, income demonstrated as separate deposits rather than a stable pattern, and expired medical certificates or criminal record extracts.
You then usually have 15 to 30 days to leave Cyprus or to lodge an appeal.
An appeal is a judicial procedure and not a new filing, so you need a lawyer for it and it takes a long time. In almost every case, avoiding a refusal is cheaper than rectifying a refusal.
Submit your renewal at least one month before the expiry date. A renewal is considerably less expensive than an initial application.
Children are removed from the file as soon as they turn 18. They must then submit their own application, based on their own income or as a student.
| Requirement | First application | Extension |
|---|---|---|
| Bank balance | 10,000 euros | 6,000 euros |
| Proof of income | Twelve months of supporting documents | Proof of 24,000 euros in transfers |
| Medical examinations | Obliged | Not repeated |
| Criminal record | Obliged | Not repeated |
| Bank guarantee | Mandatory unless exempt | Usually continues |
| Rental agreement | Obliged | Current and valid contract |
| Insurance | Obliged | Renewed policy |
Relevant information
Any questions? Feel free to ask us!
The Pink Slip is a temporary residence permit for non-EU citizens, valid for one year and renewable annually. The permit allows people with sufficient foreign income to live in Cyprus, such as pensioners, remote workers, and investors. Working for a Cypriot employer is not permitted.
24,000 euros per year from sources outside Cyprus, increased by 20 percent for a partner, so 4,800 euros, and by 15 percent per dependent child, so 3,600 euros. A couple with one child therefore needs 32,400 euros. You also need a minimum of €10,000 in a Cypriot bank account for the first application.
No, you are not allowed to work locally for a Cypriot employer with a Pink Slip. The permit is legally classified as a “Visitor’s Permit.” However, you are 100% legally allowed to work remotely for foreign clients or employers outside Cyprus, or live off passive income such as foreign dividends, crypto profits, or pensions.
The processing of a Cyprus Pink Slip application typically takes 3 to 6 months from the date of submission. However, once you have submitted your documents to the immigration service and received your official receipt, you are fully legally allowed to remain in Cyprus while awaiting the decision, even if your standard 90-day tourist visa has already expired.
The main difference is nationality. The Pink Slip is a temporary residence permit for one year, which is renewable and intended exclusively for non-EU citizens who must demonstrate that they have sufficient foreign income. The Yellow Slip is a registration certificate, exclusively for citizens of the EU and the EEA, which is much easier to obtain, grants the right to work locally, and does not need to be renewed annually.
As a non-EU citizen (such as a British or American citizen), you can generally stay in Cyprus as a tourist for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. If you wish to stay longer than 90 days, you must apply for a temporary residence permit (Pink Slip) before your tourist visa expires.
Once your application has been submitted to the Civil Registry and Migration Office (CRMD), you will receive a receipt with a reference number. You can check the status of your Pink Slip online via the official Cypriot immigration SMS service or by sending an email with your application reference number to the Migration Office.
(Please note: when you submit an application via Cyprus-Consult, our legal team monitors this status for you daily).
Yes, that is possible, but it does not happen automatically. After 5 years of uninterrupted legal residence in Cyprus, you can apply for a long-term residence permit. This is a separate application procedure with its own conditions.
If you ultimately wish to apply for Cypriot nationality, the following requirements apply: 12 months of continuous residence immediately prior to the application, plus 7 years of residence in the preceding 10 years, totaling 8 years, supplemented by a sufficient level of Greek (B1) and knowledge of the socio-political situation in Cyprus. Upon approval, you will receive a full EU passport.
If your Cyprus Pink Slip application is rejected, you will receive an official letter stating the exact reason, usually due to insufficient bank balance, incorrect health insurance, or an invalid rental contract.
You typically have 15 to 30 days to leave the island or to lodge an official appeal (recourse) through a lawyer. Therefore, it is crucial to process your application directly through a party like Cyprus-Consult, so that your file is complete and accurate from day one.
Yes. You may hold a directorship and be a shareholder who receives dividends. You are not allowed to take up employment with a Cypriot employer. The directorship also fulfills the Cypriot connection required by the 60-day rule.
No. Right of residence and tax residency are separate. You become a tax resident by staying in Cyprus for more than 183 days, or by meeting the 60-day rule. The Pink Slip provides two building blocks, namely legal residence and a permanent residence, but the tax assessment is carried out separately by the tax authorities.
You will receive a written decision stating the reason, and you usually have 15 to 30 days to leave Cyprus or to appeal through a lawyer. The most common reasons are an insufficient bank balance, inadequate insurance, a rental agreement shorter than one year or not properly legalized, and expired medical certificates or criminal record extracts.
The government fees for a Pink Slip application are relatively low: €70 application fees and another €70 for initial registration as a foreign national. However, take into account costs for a local bank guarantee (€350 to €850), private health insurance (approximately €175+), and legal costs for the application and opening a bank account.
Contact us for a transparent, fixed-price quote for our total package.
Whether you're an entrepreneur or a digital nomad, want a holding structure, can work remotely, or are looking for unique real estate opportunities, this newsletter is for you.
Get tips on emigration, tax optimization, and doing business in Cyprus. Short. Practical. Real-world.
Register without obligation.
