Cypriot citizenship by naturalisation

Final twelve months of lawful residence

The applicant must have resided legally and continuously in the Republic for the twelve months immediately before applying. Absences totalling no more than ninety days in that period do not interrupt it. This final period is additional to the earlier seven-year requirement, not part of it.

Seven earlier years in a ten-year window

Within the ten years immediately preceding that final twelve-month period, the applicant must have accumulated at least seven years of legal residence. Eligibility is therefore not simply seven years in total. The different residence and language rules for qualifying highly skilled employees and family members must not be substituted for this ordinary baseline.

Greek B1, with specified education evidence

The ordinary route requires sufficient Greek at CEFR B1. The Ministry accepts the specified Greek Language Centre examination or a University of Cyprus School of Modern Greek certificate. Holders of a high-school diploma from a recognised institution taught principally in Greek, or an academic degree from a programme taught in Greek, have the stated exemption from presenting an examination certificate. The checklist also mentions A2 because it covers other applicant categories; A2 is not the ordinary-route standard.

Civic-knowledge examination

Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of contemporary political and social conditions in Cyprus. The Ministry requires a certificate showing at least sixty percent in the relevant evaluation examination administered by the Ministry of Education's Examination Service. This is separate from the Greek-language requirement.

Character, accommodation, resources and intent

Good character, suitable accommodation, stable and regular resources sufficient for the applicant and family, and an intention to reside in the Republic are cumulative requirements. The current checklist calls for a Cypriot clean criminal-record certificate, residence and travel evidence, and documents supporting housing and financial resources. Meeting the residence clock alone does not establish eligibility.

M127 through the local District Administration

The ordinary application is submitted to the local District Administration Office using M127, signed in the presence of a Registrar and supported by properly certified and translated documents. The checklist includes two consecutive daily-newspaper notices of the application and certified photographs. Highly skilled applicants have additional employer evidence and a separate optional accelerated examination procedure.