Nearly 30,000 Golden Visas Issued by Cyprus Since 2014

Since 2014, the Republic of Cyprus has granted nearly 30,000 golden visas—permanent residence permits issued in exchange for investments in the Cypriot economy. Citizens of China and Russia have topped the list of applicants.

According to Finance Minister Makis Keravnos, who shared the figures in a letter to AKEL MP Giorgos Koukoumas (published by business news outlet Stockwatch), a total of 28,660 golden visas have been issued over the 11-year period.

Of these, 10,100 were granted to Chinese nationals, 8,478 to Russians, 1,822 to Lebanese citizens, 983 to Ukrainians, 907 to Jordanians, 699 to Iranians, 586 to Egyptians, 412 to Vietnamese nationals, 346 to Syrians, 277 to Americans, and 251 to UK citizens.

These numbers include dependents of the main applicants. In total, 14,646 individual applications were submitted over the years. Of those, 1,209 were rejected and 1,248 are still under review.

The letter also reveals that between 2014 and 2025, a total of 61,128 residence permits of all categories were granted to third-country nationals.

Cyprus’s golden visa program allows foreign nationals to gain residency by investing at least €300,000 in real estate, stocks, or investment funds, and by proving an annual post-tax income of at least €50,000. Spouses and children can also be included in the residence permit.

Read more about Cyprus’s investment residency program here.