Interior Ministry proposes cutting the marriage residence requirement for Cyprus citizenship to 6 months

The Cyprus Ministry of Interior has put out for public consultation a draft amendment to Article 110(2) of the Civil Registry Law, the provision that governs registration as a citizen for foreign spouses of Cypriot citizens.

The consultation opened on 10 September 2026, and comments are accepted until 25 September 2026. Until the amendments are adopted and officially published, the current rules remain unchanged. It is not yet possible to apply on the basis of the new six-month exception.

The draft sets different periods depending on where the couple lives:

• for spouses living together in Cyprus, the general three-year residence rule applies;
• at the minister's discretion, this period may be reduced to a minimum of six months if the marriage has lasted at least three years and there are special circumstances;
• for spouses living outside Cyprus, at least five years of joint residence;
• the good character and lawful residence requirements remain unchanged;
• for the standard three-year route, the couple must live in Cyprus at least six months in each year and at least two years in total over the three years before applying.

The six-month period will not become a standalone right to citizenship. Even if the draft is adopted, the decision will remain discretionary: it will be made by the minister, and the applicant will need to prove “special circumstances”. The draft does not define them in detail, so stronger evidence of genuine family life and a real connection to Cyprus will likely be required.

The draft concerns registration of a spouse under Article 110. This is a separate route, unrelated to ordinary naturalisation under rule M127 or the accelerated naturalisation of highly qualified workers.