By a decision of the Council of Ministers, taken on the 13th March 2020, and published in the official Government Gazette on the 30th October 2020, it was announced by the Ministry of Interior on the 16th October 2020, that the Cyprus Investment Programme would be terminated as of the 1st November 2020.
Nevertheless, there are still obligations which arise for each applicant and his/her family who have acquired nationality under this Programme. Examples of such obligations, with which our firm can assist, are as follows:
- Military Service Exemptions: all males, which hold the Cypriot nationality and are between the ages of 18 and 45 must serve in the military. Nevertheless, in the case of persons who have obtained the Cypriot nationally through exception (i.e. through the Cyprus Investment Programme), may be granted an exemption from conscription. Such exemption is not granted automatically and should be requested from the Ministry of Defence officially.
- Yearly Evidencing: all Cyprus Investment Programme applicants, as per the last amended to the Programme before such was terminated, must evidence, on a yearly basis that the conditions under which they have been granted citizenship are still met. Such evidence should be provided to the Ministry of Finance.
- Request of Permission: in the event that a main applicant wishes to sell the main residence which was used to acquire the nationality under the Programme, such main applicant may do so after permission has been received by the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Interior. The same applies for applicants that have yet to receive citizenship but wish to sell the property used to file their application under the Programme and purchase new property to be used under the current application.
- Retracting of Power of Attorney: any Power of Attorney which was filed on behalf of the main applicant with any District Land Office (Land Registry) in the Republic of Cyprus, which contains a clause authorizing the attorney to sell on behalf of the main applicant, should be, in the event that this is preferable for the main applicant, retracted.
- Etc.
In addition to the above, our firm may also assist in requesting citizenship of a spouse to a Cypriot citizenship, child to a Cypriot citizen and registration of minors born to Cypriot citizens outside of the Republic of Cyprus.