Foreign property ownership in Cyprus, explained: who needs a permit, and what it covers.
// Short answer
Cyprus splits foreign buyers in two. EU and EEA citizens and companies are outside the law on aliens and buy like Cypriots. Everyone else is an "alien" under Cap. 109 and needs prior permission from the Council of Ministers for each acquisition. As of September 2026, bills to narrow that permission were before parliament, not in force.
Rules and rates as of September 2026. Bills to tighten the rules for non-EU buyers were before the House of Representatives when this was written, so check the dated items again before you sign. Every figure links to its source.
On this page
- Who counts as a foreign buyer under Cyprus law?
- What does Cap. 109 treat as acquiring property?
- What does the Council of Ministers permit allow?
- Do UK buyers need permission in Cyprus after Brexit?
- What changes to foreign ownership are proposed in Cyprus?
- Does owning property in Cyprus give a residence permit?
Who counts as a foreign buyer under Cyprus law?
Under Cap. 109, an "alien" is anyone who is not a citizen of the Republic, plus foreign-controlled companies, foreign companies and trusts for an alien. The law expressly excludes citizens of EU and EEA states and companies set up and seated there. So only non-EU, non-EEA buyers need permission.
A buyer who holds an EU or EEA passport buys as a European, whatever other nationality they hold. A company counts by where it is set up and seated, and by who controls it.
What does Cap. 109 treat as acquiring property?
More than a purchase. It covers a lease of more than 33 years, a share purchase that puts a Cyprus company under foreign control, and a trust for an alien. Inheritance is the one acquisition that needs no permission. A sale contract alone gives the buyer no right to acquire until permission is granted.
A registration made in breach of the law is void. That is why a non-EU buyer's permit sits on the critical path to the title deed, not beside it: the Cyprus title deed and the permit.
Sources
What does the Council of Ministers permit allow?
The Ministry of Interior lists either a plot of up to 4,000 m² for building your own home, or up to two units: two dwellings, a dwelling plus a shop of up to 100 m², or a dwelling plus an office of up to 250 m². Couples receive one joint permission and share that limit.
Sources differ on the scope, so treat the exact limit as something to confirm:
- Ministry of Interior: up to two units, or a plot of up to 4,000 m².
- Law-firm and relocation guides: one residential property, or a plot of up to 4,014 m².
- The statute: uses "two skales" as its threshold for extra regulation; a skala is conventionally about 1,338 m².
The application goes on form COMM 145 to the District Administration. The Ministry says there is no fee and that it takes 2 to 3 weeks.
Sources
Do UK buyers need permission in Cyprus after Brexit?
Yes. UK nationals are no longer EU citizens, so under Cap. 109 they are non-EU buyers and need Council of Ministers permission before acquiring property in Cyprus, the same as any other non-EU national.
A UK buyer who also holds an EU or EEA passport can buy on that passport without permission.
What changes to foreign ownership are proposed in Cyprus?
Several, none enacted as of September 2026. One bill would limit non-EU buyers to one residential unit of up to 200 m². Another would bar foreign purchases of agricultural and forest land and land near critical infrastructure, with conditions on urban purchases. Four bills and a government draft were in committee.
Cyprus Mail reported the House Interior Committee had scheduled purchases by companies for October 2026. The same report cited an auditor-general finding that foreign nationals accounted for over a quarter of property sales in 2024. These are proposals. Until an amending law is published, Cap. 109 as described on this page applies.
Sources
Does owning property in Cyprus give a residence permit?
It can, through a fast-track permanent residence route for non-EU investors, based on a €300,000 property investment under criteria in force since 2 May 2023. Holders must prove every year that they still hold the investment and meet the income requirement, or the permit is cancelled for them and their family.
A law firm describes further conditions as of January 2026: €300,000 plus VAT in newly built residential property, secure annual income of €50,000 increased per dependant, limits on letting and resale in the first years, and a visit to Cyprus at least once every two years. The official migration pages could not be reached to confirm these, so check them before you rely on them. The citizenship-by-investment programme ended on 1 November 2020 and has no replacement.
Sources
// Buying in Cyprus?
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See the $499 report, page by pageFrequently Asked Questions
Do EU citizens need permission to buy property in Cyprus?
What happens if a non-EU buyer registers without permission?
Can a non-EU buyer own two properties in Cyprus?
Is a long lease treated as buying in Cyprus?
Is Cyprus banning foreign buyers?
Header photo: PomposPompou, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. All credits: image credits.