Guides/Life in Cyprus guides
Moving to Cyprus Checklist 2026: 24 Steps from Before You Leave to Month Six
Moving to Cyprus takes 24 steps in four phases, and four dates decide the order: the 90th day of a British visit, the four-month deadline for the EU registration (MEU1), the six-month deadline to exchange a UK driving licence, and the 183rd day that makes you tax resident. This checklist puts each step against its deadline, its fee or income figure and the guide that explains it. It is built from the Migration Department's checklists, the Tax Department's registration page, GOV.UK and the guides on this site, all read on 6 November 2026. For the route itself, which depends on your passport, start with how to immigrate to Cyprus; this page is the sequence to follow once you have chosen.
Moving to Cyprus checklist, phase 1: before you leave (steps 1 to 8)
| Step | What to do | Deadline or figure | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Choose the route by passport | EU, EEA and Swiss citizens register after three months; British and other non-EU citizens need a permit | How to immigrate to Cyprus |
| 2 | Count your free days | British visitors: up to 90 days in a 180-day period without a permit (GOV.UK); Cyprus is not in Schengen | Moving from the UK |
| 3 | Test your income against the permit | Pink slip: €24,000 a year (€2,000 a month) for one person through a Cyprus account. Category F: €9,568 plus €4,613 per dependant. Category 6.2: €50,000 plus €15,000 for a spouse and €10,000 per child, and a first-sale new-build of at least €300,000 plus VAT | Pink slip |
| 4 | Arrange health cover | Pink slip: a health insurance certificate with the application. MEU1 on own means: comprehensive sickness cover in Cyprus. UK pensioners: the S1 | UK State Pension and S1 |
| 5 | Collect and translate the documents | Passports, certificates and criminal records as each checklist lists them; officially translated where required | Category F documents |
| 6 | Sort out the pension | UK State Pension claim and National Insurance gaps before you leave | UK State Pension and S1 |
| 7 | Understand tax before you deregister | Leaving your home registration does not end tax residence at home; Cyprus tests 183 days or 60 days with conditions | Cyprus tax residency |
| 8 | Choose the town and visit in summer | Climate and prices differ by city; test July or August | Paphos or Larnaca |
The guides behind phase 1: how to immigrate to Cyprus, moving from the UK, the pink slip, Category F, UK State Pension and S1, Cyprus tax residency and Paphos or Larnaca. American citizens also have US tax filings to plan; see moving to Cyprus from the USA. South African citizens need a visa before arriving; see moving to Cyprus from South Africa. Canadians also have departure steps with the CRA; see moving to Cyprus from Canada. Swedes have departure steps with Skatteverket and pension rules to plan; see moving to Cyprus from Sweden.
Moving to Cyprus checklist, phase 2: the first week (steps 9 to 11)
| Step | What to do | Deadline or figure | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Keep proof of your entry date | The MEU1 deadline runs from the date of entry into the Republic | Yellow slip (MEU1) |
| 10 | Open a bank account | Pink slip applicants need a Cyprus account in their own name. An EU-resident consumer can claim a basic account, which the bank must open or refuse within ten business days of a complete application | Bank account for foreigners |
| 11 | Get a Cyprus mobile number and an email address | GESY registration asks for both | GESY explained |
The guides behind phase 2: the yellow slip (MEU1), a bank account for foreigners and GESY explained.
Moving to Cyprus checklist, phase 3: registration within four months (steps 12 to 17)
| Step | What to do | Deadline or figure | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: register with the MEU1 | Within four months of entry; €20; decision within one month; penalty of up to €2,500 for not applying; no expiry | Yellow slip (MEU1) |
| 13 | British and other non-EU citizens on the income route: apply for the pink slip | €70 for the permit and €70 for the first registration in the Aliens' Register; first permit valid one year | Pink slip |
| 14 | Category F applicants: file the application | €500 for all persons in the application and €70 per Aliens Registration Certificate; take up residence within one year of approval | Category F |
| 15 | Investors: buy first, then apply for Category 6.2 | A first-sale new-build of at least €300,000 plus VAT; a visit at least once every two years afterwards | Category 6.2 |
| 16 | Register for a tax number (TIN) | Online only, through the Tax For All portal; attach the registration certificate or residence permit, or a third-country tax number, ID or social insurance certificate; a stamped contract of sale if you are buying property | Cyprus tax for individuals |
| 17 | Register with GESY | After registration: you need the registration papers, the Alien Registration Certificate, a Cyprus IBAN, an email address and a Cyprus mobile number. Owning a home does not qualify you | GESY explained |
The guides behind phase 3: the yellow slip (MEU1), the pink slip, Category F, Category 6.2, Cyprus tax for individuals and GESY explained.
Moving to Cyprus checklist, phase 4: months two to six (steps 18 to 24)
| Step | What to do | Deadline or figure | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Exchange your driving licence | UK holders: within six months of becoming resident, no test. EU holders: optional | Driving licence |
| 19 | Set up utilities | A two-bedroom apartment for a family of three costs about €193 a month in utilities and about €303 with community, waste and sewerage charges (October 2026) | Utilities in Cyprus |
| 20 | Enrol children in school | Public schools teach in Greek; private and international schools in English | School-age children |
| 21 | Bring the pet and the car | A UK dog needs a vet-signed health certificate; customs relief on a car has a six-month use rule | Moving with a pet |
| 22 | Meet the tax-return duty | A tax resident aged 25 to 70 must register and file even with no income, according to the Tax Department; keep a day count | Cyprus tax residency |
| 23 | Keep the permit alive | Pink slip: renew before it expires. Category F: absence of two years ends it. Category 6.2: one visit every two years | Which permit fits |
| 24 | If you are buying: follow the purchase steps | Lawyer, contract, Land Registry, Council of Ministers permission for non-EU buyers | How to buy property in Cyprus |
The guides behind phase 4: the driving licence guide, utilities in Cyprus, moving with school-age children, moving with a pet, Cyprus tax residency, which permit fits and how to buy property in Cyprus.
Moving to Cyprus checklist: a worked timeline for an EU couple arriving on 1 March 2027
The yellow slip guide follows a retired couple who arrive on 1 March 2027; the same dates give the whole checklist.
| Date | What happens | Step |
|---|---|---|
| 1 March 2027 | Entry; three months without formalities begin | 9 |
| 1 June 2027 | End of the three free months | 12 |
| 1 July 2027 | Last day of the four-month window to register with the MEU1 | 12 |
| After the MEU1 | Tax number through the Tax For All portal; then GESY registration | 16 and 17 |
| 31 August 2027 | The 184th day in Cyprus in the calendar year, if the couple stay continuously: tax residence under the 183-day rule | 22 |
| 1 September 2027 | Six months of stay: an EU driving licence may now be exchanged, a UK one must be | 18 |
For a British visitor arriving on the same day, the 90th day of the visa-free stay is 29 May 2027, so the permit route has to be settled before then.
Two lessons from the dates. The registration deadline arrives before the tax and licence deadlines, so it comes first. And the tax and driving-licence clocks start from different events (days present in the year and the date you became resident), so do not assume one date covers both.
Apartments in Limassol, Paphos and Larnaca for new residents: nine projects
Apartment · StudioThe Collection
Limassol · Historical Centre
ApartmentLimassol Park
Limassol · Trachoni
Apartment · PenthouseBronte
Paphos · Kato Paphos
ApartmentOtello Apartments
Paphos · Universal
Apartment · CommercialBel Air Gardens
Paphos · Geroskipou
Amare Residences
Paphos · Universal
Studio · ApartmentPlus 82
Larnaca · Downtown
ApartmentPlus 86
Larnaca · Faneromeni
ApartmentMarelia Valley
Paphos · Konia
Moving to Cyprus: questions about the checklist
British citizens can visit for up to 90 days in a 180-day period without a visa, and Cyprus is not in the Schengen area, according to GOV.UK. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may stay three months without formalities and register within four months of entry.
British citizens are non-EU citizens unless a Withdrawal Agreement right applies. The routes for people who do not work in Cyprus are the pink slip (an income test of €24,000 a year for one person), Category F (€9,568 a year) and Category 6.2 (a new-build of at least €300,000 plus VAT and €50,000 of income).
You need one to register for tax, and the Tax Department asks you to attach a stamped contract of sale if the reason is a property purchase. Registration is online only, through the Tax For All portal.
No. GESY needs your registration papers and the Alien Registration Certificate, and owning a home does not qualify you. Arrange private cover or the S1 for the first period.
A UK licence must be exchanged within six months of becoming resident, with no test, and an EU licence may be exchanged if you wish.
For a British visitor it is the 90th day of the visa-free stay. For an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen it is the MEU1 registration, four months from the date of entry. The licence and tax dates come later.
Sources, all read on 6 November 2026. GOV.UK, foreign travel advice for Cyprus, entry requirements. The Migration Department's checklists and policies for the MEU1, the pink slip, Category F and Category 6.2, as set out in our guides. The Tax Department's page on registration in the Tax Registry (individuals), which describes the online-only Tax For All registration and the documents for EU and third-country nationals. The Road Transport Department and GOV.UK for the driving licence. Cyprus VIP Estates assists investors in choosing new developments; legal, tax and immigration advice comes from licensed professionals.
