Visas for Company Founders and Staff in Cyprus

Which route fits you?

Pick the row that describes you, then read that section. Every figure below comes from the official page or guide for that scheme, and we checked each one in November 2026.

Two dates at the end of 2026

Check these first if you are reading this close to the end of the year.

• Startup Visa. The Migration Department says the scheme was renewed and is valid until December 2026. We found no announcement of what follows.
• The EUR 2,000 legacy rule. Key personnel who already held permits at EUR 2,000 or more a month can renew with the same employer without a pay rise until 31 December 2026. After that, plan on the EUR 2,500 threshold.

A third date follows soon after. Companies of foreign interests commit to 30% of their total staff being Cypriot or EU citizens over five years, and the ratio for new hires is checked after 2 January 2027.

The Cyprus Startup Visa

This is the founder route, for non-EU nationals building an innovative startup in Cyprus, alone or as a team. The practical guide sets the main conditions.

• Who can apply. A sole founder, or a team of up to five non-EU nationals made up of founders, or of at least one founder with senior executives.
• Shareholding. At least 25% of the company's shares must be held by the applicant or team.
• What counts as a startup. An unlisted small enterprise up to five years from registration that has not distributed profits and was not formed through a merger.
• Category A, pre-revenue or under EUR 1 million. A business plan of 10 to 15 pages goes to two independent evaluators. It needs at least 3 on each criterion and at least 15 out of 20 in total.
• Category B, over EUR 1 million. An external auditor certifies the revenue, and research and development must be at least 10% of operating costs.
• Numbers. The guide allows up to 150 visas.

The approval comes in two steps. The Deputy Ministry decides within five weeks of a complete application. Initial approval does not automatically give a right of entry or residence, so you then apply for a visa or permit within six months if you are abroad, or within one month if you are legally in Cyprus. Fees listed are EUR 120 for an entry and temporary residence permit, EUR 130 for issue or renewal of a temporary residence permit, and EUR 70 for first registration in the Aliens' Register.

The official sources differ on one point. The Migration Department's January 2026 page refers to a right of economic activity for two years, renewable for at least another year. The 2024 practical guide says three years, renewable for at least two. Confirm which applies to you before you build a plan on either.

Employing staff through your company

Staff from outside the EU are the most common need once a company grows. A company of foreign interests can employ any number of highly paid non-EU nationals without a labour market check, if the employee meets these conditions:

• A gross salary of at least EUR 2,500 a month.
• Relevant academic qualifications, or at least two years of relevant experience.
• An employment contract of at least two years.

Support-level staff are different. They need a labour market test and a contract sealed by the Department of Labour.

Your company must qualify first. A business not already on the register starts with the Business Support Center, which checks eligibility and confirms registration. The government's strategy, in the version updated in February 2024, says a company needs independent offices separate from any private residence, and that a Council of Ministers decision of November 2022 reintroduced proof of an initial investment in Cyprus of at least EUR 200,000. That is a real barrier for a new small company, so confirm it early. The Migration Department sets an examination time of one month for applications.

EU citizens

You need no visa to form or run a company here, and you may live here as a worker or as a self-employed person. Stays over three months need a registration certificate on form MEU1, applied for within four months of entry. Supporting documents must be officially translated and certified. The Migration Department also warns of a fine for failing to apply.

Why the digital nomad route does not fit founders

It looks attractive, but it is built for a different person. The scheme lets non-EU nationals live in Cyprus for up to a year, with up to two further years, if they earn at least EUR 3,500 net a month working for a foreign employer or foreign clients. Family members have no right to work or do business here. The ceiling is 500 permits. A founder running a Cyprus company with local customers does not fit that description, so a plan that relies on it needs legal advice first.

The Blue Card and investor permit

Two more routes exist for specific cases.

The EU Blue Card sets a minimum of EUR 43,632 gross a year, for highly qualified work in information and communication technology, pharmacy for research purposes, or maritime roles other than captains and crew. Applications are examined within 90 days. There are no quotas for these sectors.

The investor permit is an immigration permit under a fast-track procedure. It needs at least EUR 300,000 in one of four categories, one of which is share capital in a Cyprus company with a proven physical presence that employs at least five people. You must also show secure annual income of at least EUR 50,000 from abroad, plus more for dependants. The published criteria are the May 2023 revision.

What should you do first?

Settle the immigration route before you form the company, or at least in parallel. The company you need may depend on it, especially for the 25% shareholding, and for the office and investment tests. Then look at your tax residency, which is a separate question from your permit.

For the wider picture, read can a foreigner open a company in Cyprus and is Cyprus a good place to start a business. When your route is clear, the steps in how to register a company in Cyprus apply as normal.

These schemes change, and we are not immigration advisers. Ask a Cyprus lawyer to check the current position before you commit. Our company launch service covers the online side of a new company.