The Council of Ministers introduced a new scheme called the “Digital Nomad Visa Scheme” that enables third country nationals to reside temporarily in Cyprus and obtain an employment permit.

What is the Cyprus Digital Nomad visa?

The Cyprus Digital Nomad Visa Scheme allows nationals from non-EU and non-EEA countries, who can perform their work location-independently using telecommunications technology, to reside temporarily in Cyprus and work for an employer registered abroad or perform work through telecommunications technology for companies or clients located abroad.

Who can benefit?

Non-EU or non-EEA nationals who:

• Can perform work remotely through telecommunications technology;
• Are employed in a company registered abroad, for which they can work location-independently, or are self-employed offering services remotely for clients located abroad;
• Can prove that they have stable and sufficient monthly net income of at least €3.500 (after the deduction of contributions and taxes).

What are the benefits?

Individuals that are granted with a Digital Nomad Visa will benefit from the following:

• Right of residence for a year in Cyprus, with a possibility of renewal for further two years.
• Right of residence for family members, for the same period as the Digital Nomad, without the right to be employed of perform economic activity in Cyprus.
• If they reside in the Republic for one of more periods that in total exceed 183 days within the same tax year, then they are considered tax residents of Cyprus, provided they are not tax residents in any other country.

Family members

• Digital Nomad’s family members can reside in Cyprus for the same period as the Digital Nomad, without the right to be employed of perform any economic activity in Cyprus.
• Family members include the spouse/ partner in a civil union and underage children.

Procedural steps

• Within 3 months of arrival, the applicant should submit the relevant application at the Civil Registry and Migration Department in Nicosia, to be granted a residence permit, by paying the corresponding fees.
• In case the applicant legally resides in Cyprus under a different status, he/she has the right to submit the relevant application to be granted a residence permit as a Digital Nomad, at the Civil Registry and Migration Department in Nicosia.
• For the issuance of the temporary residence permit capturing of biometric data (photo and fingerprints) and signature of the third country national is necessary, which is done with the presentation of the application submission receipt and a valid travel document. The biometric data can be captured at the same time or after the application submission, at the offices of the Department in Nicosia or at the district unit of the Aliens and Immigration Service of the Police of the district of residence of the third country national.
• The validity of the Digital Nomad Visa is 1 year with the option of renewal (with a validity of maximum 2 years).

For further information and assistance, feel free to get in touch with George Economides, partner in the firm.