Cyprus Permanent Residency for Lebanese Nationals: The 2026 Guide
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Cyprus Permanent Residency for Lebanese Nationals: The 2026 Guide
Cyprus permanent residency for Lebanese nationals is available under Regulation 6(2) on the same terms as for other non-EU applicants: a EUR 300,000 investment, a secure income from abroad and a clean record. Two points need care for Lebanese families. The investment money must be transferred to Cyprus from abroad, and pre-2019 Lebanese dollar deposits generally cannot be.
On this page
- Can Lebanese nationals get Cyprus permanent residency?
- What Lebanese investors need to invest
- Funding the investment: the “from abroad” rule meets Lebanese banking
- Family members you can include
- The application and what keeps the permit alive
- Permanent residence, not a passport
- Cyprus vs other programmes popular with Lebanese investors
- Frequently asked questions
This guide is general information about Cyprus permanent residency under Regulation 6(2) and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. It gives no advice on Lebanese banking rules. Criteria, fees and listings can change. Obtain independent professional advice, including from qualified Cypriot and Lebanese counsel, before making any application or investment decision.
Can Lebanese nationals get Cyprus permanent residency?
Yes. Cyprus’s Regulation 6(2) criteria contain no country exclusion, and we found no rule specific to Lebanese applicants (September 2026). Lebanese nationals apply on standard terms: at least EUR 300,000 invested, a secure annual income of at least EUR 50,000, clean criminal records and no employment in Cyprus. Expect enhanced due diligence.
What the Regulation 6(2) criteria say
The legal basis is regulation 6(2) of the Aliens and Immigration Regulations, applied through the Criteria 4th Revision, in force since 2 May 2023. The Migration Department reposted the criteria on 29 December 2025, and no 5th revision exists. The route is open to third-country applicants, and neither the criteria nor the department’s notices say anything specific about Lebanese applicants.
Enhanced due diligence: Lebanon’s EU and FATF listings
Lebanon is on the EU list of high-risk third countries under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1675, in the version in force since 29 January 2026. It is also under FATF increased monitoring, the grey list, as of the 19 June 2026 plenary, following its commitment in October 2024. Both listings mean enhanced due diligence on your file. Neither is an eligibility bar.
Criminal records from Lebanon and from where you live
The applicant and spouse need a clean criminal record from the country of origin and, if different, from the country of residence. A Lebanese family living in Dubai or Riyadh therefore supplies two sets. After the permit is granted, the record is renewed every 3 years for the applicant and adult family members. For the full list, see Cyprus permanent residency requirements.
What Lebanese investors need to invest
The four EUR 300,000 routes
| Route | Minimum | What qualifies | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. New home | EUR 300,000 plus VAT | House or apartment, first sale from a developer | Up to two housing units if their total meets EUR 300,000 |
| B. Other real estate | EUR 300,000 | Offices, shops, hotels | Resale allowed |
| C. Company capital | EUR 300,000 | Share capital of a Cyprus company | The company employs 5 people |
| D. Investment funds | EUR 300,000 | Units of a Cyprus AIF, AIFLNP or RAIF |
You must prove that at least EUR 300,000 (excluding VAT) has been paid, whatever the delivery date. The old pledged bank deposit that older guides mention no longer exists. For the property routes in detail, see our guide to Cyprus real estate permanent residency.
The income test
You need a secure annual income of at least EUR 50,000, plus EUR 15,000 for a spouse and EUR 10,000 for each dependent minor child. On the new-home route, that income must come from abroad. Proof is a tax return from your country of tax residence or a certificate from an independent certified accountant.
Costs in US dollars
Lebanese investors typically fund in US dollars, so we show USD alongside the legal euro amounts.
| Item | EUR (legal amount) | USD | Official basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum investment, any of the four routes | 300,000 (plus VAT on a new home) | 341,300 (plus VAT) | Criteria para 2.1 |
| Annual income, main applicant | 50,000 | 56,900 | Criteria para 2.2 |
| Annual income add-on, spouse | 15,000 | 17,100 | Criteria para 2.2 |
| Annual income add-on, each dependent minor child | 10,000 | 11,400 | Criteria para 2.2 |
| Application fee | 500 | 600 | Criteria para 7 |
| Alien Registration Certificate, per person | 70 | 100 | Criteria para 7 |
Converted at 1.1378 USD per EUR, European Central Bank euro reference rate of 28 September 2026, rounded to the nearest 100. EUR figures are the legal amounts; USD is illustrative and moves with the exchange rate. Conversions say nothing about how funds may be transferred.
Not included, and not estimated: VAT on a new home, transfer and stamp duties, legal fees, health insurance premiums, and advisory fees, which are quoted per engagement.
A family of four, worked through
Take a main applicant, a spouse and two children under 18.
| EUR | USD | |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | 300,000 plus VAT | 341,300 plus VAT |
| Government fees: 500 + 4 x 70 | 780 | 900 |
| Outlay | 300,780 plus VAT | 342,200 plus VAT |
| Income to prove each year: 50,000 + 15,000 + 10,000 + 10,000 | 85,000 | 96,700 |
EUR 300,000 of the outlay is an asset the family holds. On the new-home route, the EUR 85,000 of income must come from abroad. A 19-year-old studying abroad would file separately and add EUR 10,000 to the income test. A 26-year-old non-dependent child needs a further EUR 300,000 investment and must show their own income of at least EUR 50,000. Parents cannot be added. Illustration of the statutory amounts only.
Funding the investment: the “from abroad” rule meets Lebanese banking in 2026
What Cyprus requires
The criteria say the investment money must be transferred to Cyprus from abroad, from the applicant’s or spouse’s account, or a company solely owned by them. Money borrowed inside Cyprus does not count.
Lebanon: no capital-control statute, but restrictions in practice
According to the US Department of Commerce’s Lebanon Country Commercial Guide (updated 23 February 2026), Lebanon “has yet to adopt formal capital controls legislation beyond Central Bank circulars”. Lebanese Parliament records show that in July 2026 the Finance and Budget Committee worked on amendments to bank reform Law No. 23 and on the draft financial regularity and deposit recovery law, which is being re-studied by a government committee with Banque du Liban, the finance and economy ministries and the IMF. The list of 23 laws Parliament records as passed at its latest two-day plenary session includes no capital-control law.
So, as of September 2026, no capital-control statute has been adopted. That may change, and we do not predict how.
Pre-October-2019 deposits versus fresh dollars
The same US Commerce guide states that since late 2019 banks have barred virtually all overseas transfers from US dollar accounts funded before October 2019, and that “fresh dollar” credit cards linked to accounts have functioned again since 2022.
Put the two rules side by side. Cyprus wants the money transferred from abroad from your own or your spouse’s account. In practice, money held in a Lebanese bank since before the crisis is generally not available to fund a Cyprus investment by transfer abroad. This guide does not discuss ways around that restriction.
What the Migration Department will ask to see
Whatever money you use needs a documented, lawful source. Given Lebanon’s listings, expect a close look at where the money was earned, where it has been held and how it reached the paying account, and income evidence from your country of tax residence. Discuss your funding position with a qualified adviser before you sign a contract.
Family members you can include
Start with the correction, because many guides still get it wrong: parents are not included. The 4th Revision covers:
- your spouse;
- children under 18, on the same permit.
Beyond that:
- Students aged 18 to 25. Unmarried children who are tertiary students abroad and financially dependent file their own application. You show EUR 10,000 of extra income for each, and their permit survives ageing out.
- Adult non-dependent children need an additional EUR 300,000 investment each, and each must show their own secure income of at least EUR 50,000, plus the family add-ons.
For families already holding a Cyprus permit: a Migration Department notice of 13 March 2026 says dependent-student applications are examined under the 4th Revision, and where the parent’s permit was granted under an earlier revision (2013 to 2023), the file must show a EUR 300,000 plus VAT contract, payment, and the transfer of funds from abroad.
The application and what keeps the permit alive
- Sign and pay at least EUR 300,000 (excluding VAT), with the funds transferred from abroad.
- Gather income proof, health insurance for the family, and criminal records from Lebanon and from your country of residence.
- File with the Migration Department, in person or through an authorised representative, and pay EUR 500 plus EUR 70 per person.
- Wait for the decision. The official estimate is about two months to examine a complete application.
The right of residence is unlimited in time for the holder and adult dependants. The card is replaced every 10 years; minors’ cards run to 18. To keep it:
- if you live outside Cyprus, you and your dependants acquire residence in Cyprus within 1 year of approval;
- neither you nor your dependants acquire permanent residence abroad;
- you are not absent from Cyprus for a period of 2 years;
- you show each year that the investment is maintained, and keep health insurance if you are not covered by GESY, the national health system;
- the applicant and spouse do not work in Cyprus, except as directors of the company invested in.
The second point matters to Lebanese families who already hold residence in the Gulf or elsewhere; check it with counsel before you apply. For the procedure itself, see Cyprus fast-track residency.
Permanent residence, not a passport: Cyprus citizenship and dual nationality
The permit gives residence, not Cypriot nationality, and there is no fast track for investors. Under the Civil Registry Law as amended by Law 149(I)/2023, naturalisation needs 12 months of lawful and continuous residence immediately before applying (absences up to 90 days in total) and at least 7 years in aggregate in the 10 years before that. In practice that is about 8 years. Residence here means physical presence in Cyprus.
You also need a B1 Greek certificate; since Law 76(I)/2024 the exam is written and oral. Holders of a Greek-language upper secondary diploma or a Greek-taught degree are exempt. Add good character, knowledge of modern political and social life in Cyprus, suitable accommodation, stable resources and an intention to reside.
The 3 or 4 year route applies only to highly skilled employees of Cabinet-designated companies. Time on a student permit does not count, which matters for children on the 18 to 25 route.
On dual nationality, a US Library of Congress report indicates that Lebanese law generally allows it. Confirm with Lebanese counsel before any citizenship step. More in Cyprus golden visa and citizenship.
Cyprus vs other programmes popular with Lebanese investors
| Programme | Entry route | Status | Family reach | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyprus, Regulation 6(2) | EUR 300,000 in property, company capital or funds, money from abroad | Permanent residence permit | Spouse, children under 18; students file separately | Parents not included |
| Malta MPRP | Property from EUR 375,000 or lease from EUR 14,000 a year, plus EUR 99,000 fixed charges for a family of four | Permanent residence | Up to four generations, incl. qualifying parents and grandparents | Lebanon not on Residency Malta’s ineligible list |
| Greece | Property of EUR 250,000, 400,000 or 800,000 by location and type | 5-year renewable residence permit | Children under 21, parents of both spouses | Lebanese are among the top five nationalities of Greek permit holders, per Enterprise Greece (April 2025) |
If your parents must come with you, Malta or Greece fits better. See the Malta golden visa for Lebanese nationals and our Greece golden visa property guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can Lebanese citizens get permanent residency in Cyprus?
Yes. The Regulation 6(2) criteria contain no country exclusion, so Lebanese nationals apply on standard terms. Because Lebanon is on the EU high-risk list and under FATF increased monitoring, expect enhanced due diligence, not a bar.
How much does Cyprus PR cost for a Lebanese family of four?
A EUR 300,000 investment (plus VAT on a new home), EUR 780 in government fees, and EUR 85,000 a year of income to prove, about USD 341,300, USD 900 and USD 96,700 at the ECB rate of 28 September 2026.
Can I use money from my Lebanese bank account?
Cyprus requires the money to be transferred from abroad from your or your spouse’s account. The US Commerce Department reports that pre-October-2019 dollar deposits generally cannot be transferred abroad. Take advice before you commit.
Can I include my parents?
No. The 4th Revision covers the spouse and children under 18. Students aged 18 to 25 apply separately, and parents are not dependants.
Can I work in Cyprus with this permit?
No. The applicant and spouse confirm they will not work in Cyprus, except as directors of the company they invested in.
How long until Cyprus citizenship?
At least 7 years in the 10 years before a final 12 months of continuous residence, counted as physical presence, plus a written and oral B1 Greek exam. Investors have no fast track.
The bottom line
For Lebanese nationals, Cyprus permanent residency means the standard Regulation 6(2) terms: EUR 300,000 invested, EUR 50,000 of income plus family add-ons, and a permit that lapses if the family does not acquire residence in Cyprus within a year of approval, acquires permanent residence abroad or is absent for two years. The Lebanon-specific work is the funding trail: Cyprus wants money transferred from abroad, and pre-2019 deposits are generally locked in place. Plan around that first. For the full programme, see our guide to Cyprus permanent residency by investment. For a family-specific view, the Aegir Global team can help, and advisory fees are quoted per engagement.
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