The Cyprus Ministry of Interior has resumed accepting naturalization applications with a requirement for knowledge of the Greek language.
On March 22, the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Cyprus announced the resumption of the process of accepting and reviewing applications for naturalization in accordance with the citizenship law passed by Parliament on November 30, 2023. For almost four months, this process was frozen pending clarifications from the migration department.
To obtain Cypriot citizenship, proficiency in the Greek language at level A2 or B1 is now required.
Level A2 implies the ability to speak on simple topics, maintain a basic dialogue in everyday situations, and understand the basic content of texts and news reports.
Level B1 allows describing past events, expressing opinions on simple matters, understanding instructions, and composing short texts. It also entails the ability to watch movies with subtitles and an expanded vocabulary.
Requirements for citizenship applicants include:
- Legal and continuous residence in Cyprus for 12 months prior to the application, with a total absence period not exceeding 90 days.
- Legal residence in Cyprus for at least seven years during the preceding 10 years before the 12-month period preceding the application.
- Reliability.
- Knowledge of the Greek language at level B1.
- Understanding the basic aspects of political and social life in Cyprus.
- Adequate housing and stable financial resources to maintain a decent standard of living.
- Intent to permanently reside in Cyprus.
For highly skilled specialists and their families, the requirements for residence and language proficiency are slightly different: the residence period is reduced to four or three years depending on the level of Greek language proficiency (A2 and B1 respectively).
A list of companies whose employees may be considered highly skilled and eligible for simplified naturalization conditions has also been compiled. These companies include:
- Companies with foreign interests that have independent offices in Cyprus.
- Cypriot shipping companies.
- Companies in the high-tech and innovation sector, including aviation, aerospace, information technology, and pharmaceuticals.
- Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
- Companies already registered as foreign.
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