The pink slip is a "visitor" category permit under Regulation 14. It lets you live in Cyprus but prohibits any economic activity here. The main requirement is a steady income from abroad of at least €2,000 a month for one person.
Who it suits
- An independent visitor living on income from abroad: a salary from a foreign employer, a pension, dividends, interest, rent.
- A dependent spouse or minor child of the main applicant.
- Parents, partners and adult children up to 25 of employees of foreign-interest companies — under the "revised visitors policy".
- A partner of a Cypriot citizen intending to marry — for 3 months.
Money: what you have to show
- A statement from a Cypriot bank account with incoming transfers from abroad: €2,000 a month or €24,000 a year for one applicant.
- Plus 20% for a spouse and 15% for each child.
- On a first application a single transfer or cash deposit of €10,000 or more is also accepted (cash requires a customs declaration).
- On renewal you need a balance of at least €6,000 regardless of family size.
- Transfers abroad and to third parties don't count towards income — it has to be incoming foreign remittances.
Required documents
- Form MVIS8 and a copy of your passport: it must be valid for at least 3 months on the filing date, plus the page with your latest entry and visa.
- A criminal record certificate from your country of origin with a certified translation — for the first permit only.
- Medical tests: hepatitis B and C, HIV, syphilis plus a chest X-ray, certified by a specialist doctor in the Republic of Cyprus. Also for the first permit only.
- A bank guarantee from a Cypriot bank on your own account, valid for at least 10 years. The amount depends on your nationality — see the table below. A renewal needs no new guarantee as long as the existing one covers the requested period plus one year.
- Medical insurance covering inpatient care, outpatient treatment and repatriation of remains — the so-called Immigration Plan A.
- A rental contract for at least a year, certified by a mukhtar or certifying officer, or a title deed, or a declaration from your host.
- A legalised and translated marriage certificate if you are applying as a family.
The bank guarantee by nationality
The guarantee covers the cost of deportation, so the amount depends on where the person would have to be returned to.
| Nationality | Guarantee |
|---|---|
| Middle East and North Africa: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Türkiye, the Gulf states, Afghanistan | €350 |
| Non-EU Europe: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia, North Macedonia, plus Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Gibraltar and the Faroe Islands | €550 |
| Every other country: Asia, the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, Oceania | €850 |
| Citizens of the EU, EEA, Switzerland and the United Kingdom | not required |
Fees and timings
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Issue or renewal of the permit | €70 |
| First registration in the aliens register (ARC) | €70, once |
| Bank guarantee | €350–850 by nationality |
| Medical tests | €15 at a state hospital, €60–150 at a private clinic |
| Immigration Plan A insurance | €160–390 a year by age |
The official processing time is "usually up to 4 months"; in practice a first application takes about six months, sometimes up to eight. Renewals are faster. The first permit is issued for a year; if your passport expires sooner, it runs to "passport expiry minus 3 months".
- Only the Nicosia headquarters handles Immigration Permits, long-term resident status, the Digital Nomad and Start-up visas, foreign-interest companies, the EU Blue Card, shipping companies, intra-corporate transfers and student applications.
- Everything else is submitted to the district unit of the police Aliens and Immigration Service where you live — an application of the wrong category is simply not accepted in Nicosia.
- Small law firms and individuals are seen without an appointment, on a first-come, first-served basis. Larger representatives have fixed weekly appointment times.
Where to apply
Nicosia residents go to the Migration Department head office (Archbishop Makarios III Ave 90). Everyone else goes to their district immigration police unit by appointment. You must file before your visa expires: the filing receipt with a re-entry stamp lets you leave and return while the application is being considered.
Where to go
Migration Department, head office
Archbishop Makarios III Ave 90, 1077 Nicosia
Mon–Fri 08:00–14:30. Nicosia residents apply here, as do all applicants for an Immigration Permit, long-term resident status, Digital Nomad and Startup Visa. Application status is checked by SMS: "STATUS<space>number" to 1199.