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Cyprus will change the rules for granting citizenship to foreign spouses
Foreign spouses of Cypriot citizens may be eligible for new rules for obtaining Cypriot citizenship. The draft law provides that, in special cases, the Minister of Interior will be able to shorten the required period of residence on the island from three years to at least six months.
However, the change will not automatically apply to all spouses. The bill leaves the decision to the minister, requires a minimum of three years of marriage, and introduces separate rules for Cypriots living with their spouse abroad. The document is currently undergoing public consultation and is not yet law.
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The project has been submitted for public consultation
The Ministry of Interior has presented a draft amendment to the Population Register Act. Consultations began on September 10 and are expected to last until September 25, 2026.
The proposed regulations change the rules for registering foreign spouses of citizens of the Republic of Cyprus as Cypriot citizens.
The Ministry indicates two main goals of the amendment:
- more precise definition of the conditions for couples living outside Cyprus,
- allowing the required stay on the island to be shortened in cases deemed special.
Only after the consultations are completed can the project progress through the next stages of the legislative process.
It's worth knowing
This is currently a project, not a binding law.
The mere announcement of the consultation does not change the current rules for obtaining citizenship. The new solutions will only come into effect after the legislative process is completed, the law is passed, and it enters into force.
From three years to six months, but not for everyone
The most important proposed change concerns the possibility of shortening the period of residence in Cyprus.
Current regulations generally require that the foreign spouse has lived on the island with their Cypriot spouse for at least three years.
The draft provides that in special circumstances the Minister of Internal Affairs will be able to reduce this period to at least six months.
However, this will not be a new general rule for all marriages. Shortening the period will remain at the minister's discretion and will be applied after considering each specific situation individually.
An additional condition will be that the marriage has lasted for at least three years.
Therefore, the bill should not be presented as a complete abolition of the three-year requirement. It will create the possibility of an exception, not an automatic right to citizenship after six months of residence.
It's worth knowing
The changes may also affect Poles
The bill doesn't limit the new rules solely to third-country nationals. It applies to foreign spouses and partners of Cypriot citizens, so it could also include citizens of Poland and other European Union countries. However, marrying a Cypriot doesn't automatically grant citizenship – you'll still need to meet the statutory requirements and submit an application.
New rules for Cypriots living abroad
The project also aims to regulate the situation of Cypriot citizens who live with their foreign spouses outside the island.
In such a case, the couple will have to prove that they have lived together abroad for a period of not less than five years.
This part of the amendment is intended to more precisely define the conditions for registering the spouse of a person who has Cypriot citizenship but permanently resides in another country.
The solution may be important, among others, for Cypriots working and living in the UK, Greece and other countries who have started families there.
Who will be able to submit an application?
According to the project, the Minister of Interior will be able to register an adult person with full legal capacity as a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus if he or she meets certain conditions.
The applicant will need to be:
- spouse of a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus,
- widow or widower of a citizen of the Republic,
- or the spouse of a person who would have acquired or could have acquired Cypriot citizenship before his death.
The candidate will also have to be considered of good character and provide an assurance of loyalty to the Republic of Cyprus.
For those living on the island, the intention to continue living in the Republic will remain relevant. The regulations also cover those planning to continue working in the public service, education, or the Cyprus Police.
What does living together in Cyprus mean?
The project also clarifies the concept of spouses living together on the island.
It is meant to signify the couple's presence in Cyprus for at least six months each year.
As a rule, the total period of cohabitation in the three years immediately preceding the submission of the application cannot be less than two years.
At the same time, the proposed regulations allow the minister to shorten the required period in special circumstances. Each case will therefore need to be assessed individually.
Illegal entry may exclude the possibility of registration
The bill maintains restrictions on persons who have entered or remain in the Republic of Cyprus illegally.
As a rule, the provisions enabling the registration of a foreign spouse will not apply to such persons.
The Minister will be able to apply an exception to the foreign spouse of a Cypriot citizen who has illegally stayed in the territories controlled by the Republic.
However, the bill distinguishes between illegal stay and illegal entry. The proposed provisions indicate that the discretionary exception does not apply to individuals who entered the Republic in violation of applicable laws, including through areas beyond the effective control of the government.
What exactly is going to change?
Currently
As a rule, three years of cohabitation in Cyprus are required.
After the change
In special cases, the Minister will be able to shorten this period to a minimum of six months.
Condition
The marriage must last at least three years.
Abroad
A couple living outside Cyprus will need to prove at least five years of cohabitation.
Citizenship will not be transferable to other persons.
The project also includes safeguards regarding the further transfer of registration rights.
A person who obtains citizenship as the foreign spouse of a Cypriot will not be able to transfer the right of registration to his or her child on this basis unless the child is also the child of the Cypriot spouse.
Such a right will also not be transferable to a future foreign spouse.
The change is intended to prevent citizenship obtained through marriage to a Cypriot from creating further automatic entitlements for persons unrelated to the original marriage.
Six months does not guarantee citizenship
The most important conclusion for interested families is simple: the project may make it easier to obtain Cypriot citizenship in specific situations, but it does not introduce an automatic path after six months of residence.
It will still be necessary to submit an application, meet the conditions, demonstrate an appropriate period of marriage and obtain a positive decision from the minister.
Furthermore, the project may be changed during consultations and further legislative work.
Until the amendment comes into force, applications must be submitted under the current regulations. CYPRNews will monitor further developments on the bill.
Sources: Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Cyprus, e-Consultation public consultation platform, Philenews.
