Open a Company in Cyprus as a Foreigner: Fees, Steps and the 60-Day Tax Residency Rule
You want a Cyprus company, and you may want Cyprus tax residency with it. The Registrar of Companies charges EUR 165 to register a company, and the articles are signed in Greek. The company must get a tax number within 60 days, and the 60-day rule is a separate test for you as a person.
Two tests that people confuse, and rules that changed in 2026
A company is not tax residency, and Cyprus changed its tax rules from 1 January 2026. The company has its own deadlines, and you as a person have the 60-day rule with its own conditions. Old guides mix the two and show old rates.
What it looks like from the outside:
- A company filing with a 60-day tax number deadline.
- A personal 60-day rule that needs a Cyprus business or employment and a home.
- Tax rates that guides show from before 2026.
How it feels:
- You worry you will count the wrong days.
- You fear paying tax at a rate that has already changed.
- You feel unsure whom to trust when every guide gives different numbers.
You do not have to separate the two tests alone
We know how hard it is to plan a company and your own tax position at the same time. You want someone who has read the rule on the official page, tells you honestly when a route does not fit, and stays with you until the file is filed.
What we have done:
- 35+ years in immigration and investment migration
- 25,000+ families guided since 1991
- 3rd Generation in the immigration industry
- 2026 Canadian Choice Award winner
What we believe:
- Honesty first: we tell you when a route does not fit, before you move money.
- Checked rules: every figure on this page is read from an official source and dated.
- Your plan, not a template: the right route depends on your goals, your family and your funds.
We believe a Cyprus plan should rest on the Registrar's steps and the Tax Department's conditions, not on a package price.
What you get
| Feature | Benefit | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| A published registrar fee | The Registrar lists EUR 165 and its add-ons | You know the official cost before you start |
| An online filing route | The Registrar accepts online filing with an e-filing account | You can file without a visit |
| A clear after-registration list | Tax number, VAT, social insurance, annual return, audited accounts | You know the year ahead |
| A link to the investor permit | The investor permit asks for shares in a Cyprus company | One company can serve both goals |
| One point of contact | We bring in the lawyer, the accountant and the tax adviser through our partners | You do not chase several firms |
Where it takes you: a registered Cyprus company, and, if you meet the Tax Department's conditions, Cyprus tax residency. This is a company and a tax position, not a residence permit.
Is it right for you?
An honest answer before you move funds.
| A good fit if | Consider another route if |
|---|---|
| You want to run or hold assets through a Cyprus company | You want a residence permit from the company alone: it gives none |
| You can sign articles in Greek or pay for a certified translation | You want tax residency without a Cyprus business or home: the 60-day rule needs both |
| You can follow the Tax Department deadlines and the annual filings | You need a rate you can quote from an old guide: the rules changed from 1 January 2026 |
| You want one point of contact for the lawyer, accountant and tax adviser | Your funds cannot be documented |
Not sure Cyprus is the best fit? Compare all Europe routes, or use Find my program and we match your goals to the right one.
What you need
You need an approved name, articles in Greek, a lawyer's sworn declaration and the registrar fee. Online filing needs an e-filing account.
What the Registrar and Tax Department pages list:
- An approved company name before you file.
- Form HE1, a statutory declaration sworn before a court by the entrusted lawyer.
- The memorandum and articles, signed in Greek, or a certified translation if you keep them in another language.
- Table A reference if the company adopts the model regulations.
- Any approval needed for the name or the business.
- The fee: EUR 165, or EUR 235 for a company without share capital.
- After incorporation: a tax number from the Tax Department within 60 days, VAT registration if you pass the threshold, and employer registration with the Social Insurance Services.
The routes and rules
The Registrar sets the fees, and the Tax Department sets the personal tests.
| Item | Official figure | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | EUR 165 | EUR 235 for a company without share capital |
| Accelerated registration | EUR 100 extra | Both online and by post |
| Translation file | EUR 160 extra | Online |
| Tax number | Within 60 days | Apply to the Tax Department |
| VAT registration | EUR 15,600 expected in the next 30 days | For taxable supplies |
The 60-day rule for you as a person. The Tax Department says you can be tax resident without 183 days if you are in Cyprus at least 60 days in the tax year, are not more than 183 days in another country, have Cyprus business or employment and keep a permanent residence in Cyprus, among other conditions. A non-domiciled individual is not subject to Special Defence Contribution on certain income, and you are treated as domiciled after 17 of the last 20 years as a tax resident.
The 2026 change. Cyprus changed its tax rules from 1 January 2026, and the Ministry of Finance shows a 5% Special Defence Contribution on dividends from profits earned after that date. Your partner checks current corporate and dividend rates before you register.
What it costs, and what waiting costs
The registrar fee is a small cost. Set it against the cost of a wrong start: a company set up for the wrong tax goal.
| Item | Official amount |
|---|---|
| Company registration | EUR 165 (EUR 235 without share capital) |
| Accelerated registration | EUR 100 extra |
| File of translations | EUR 160 extra |
| Annual levy | Conflict: the Registrar fee page still shows EUR 350; advisers say the 2024 amendment law abolished it from 2024 |
| Lawyer, accountant, tax adviser | Not official; agreed with the local partner |
Source: Cyprus Registrar of Companies and Tax Department pages.
Set up with our partners in Cyprus
We arrange the steps through partners in Cyprus, so you deal with one point of contact. We arrange the lawyer for the name and the Greek articles, the company filing, the tax number, the accountant, the bank introduction, property introductions and relocation steps. We introduce you, the partner delivers, and each partner holds the local licence for what it does. We give no investment, legal or tax advice. Local partners may pay AIA for introductions.
Also from AIA: Canada, Europe and citizenship
Many founders plan a second move. Take the Canada immigration assessment, or read our Canada immigration programs. If you want a European base, see residence by investment in Europe, and for a passport, see citizenship by investment.
Your path in three steps
Three steps from your first answers to your company.
- Step 1: Tell us your plan. Use Find my program, or write to us with your business, your shareholders and your tax goal.
- Step 2: We do the heavy lifting. We bring in the Cyprus lawyer for the name, the Greek articles and the filing, and the tax partner for your tax number and residency plan.
- Step 3: Your company is registered. You apply for the tax number within 60 days, register for VAT if you pass the threshold, and plan the annual return and audited accounts.
Processing time depends on the authority and on how complete your file is.
Status: what changed and when
Reviewed 22 October 2026. Sources: Cyprus Registrar of Companies, Tax Department, Ministry of Finance.
| What | Status |
|---|---|
| Registrar fee | EUR 165, EUR 235 without share capital; accelerated EUR 100 extra |
| Annual levy | CONFLICT: shown as EUR 350 on the Registrar page; abolished from 2024 per advisory sources |
| Tax rules | Changed from 1 January 2026 |
| 60-day rule | In force from 2017, with conditions set by the Tax Department |
What could change: the fees, the tax rates and the residency conditions. What we do about it: we re-read the official pages before each update and show the date.
After you have the company
You keep the company in order with yearly filings. The Registrar lists them.
- Tax number: apply within 60 days of incorporation.
- Annual return: file it each calendar year with the financial statements.
- Audited accounts: file them with the tax return at the Tax Department.
- Changes: tell the Registrar when company details change.
Two possible futures
A year from now, you may still be comparing packages while the rules shift. You hold a quote, a number from one adviser that contradicts another, and no date on any of it.
Or your company is registered in Cyprus, your tax number is in place, and you know every deadline. You feel in control, and you chose on facts you could check.
The cost of staying put: routes and rules change, and each change can add cost or close a door.
Your ultimate success:
- Registered: your company exists on the registry's terms
- On time: you met each filing deadline
- Prepared: you know the bank step and its limits
- In control: you decided on your terms, with the facts
Which route fits your family?
Answer eight short questions and the finder ranks all 17 residence programmes against your goals, funds and family. You see your shortlist and the cost for your family first, and a form only if you want it emailed with a fact sheet.
Why clients choose Amir Ismail & Associates
35+ years of hands-on immigration experience and 25,000+ successful cases. 3rd generation in the immigration industry. We bring in qualified local partners in each country, so you deal with one accountable team from first question to filing.
One point of contact
We qualify your case first, then bring in the right local partner. You deal with us throughout.
A strategy built for your family
We match routes to your goals, funds and family, not a template.
Application accuracy
Document and source-of-funds review that prevents costly errors and refusals.
Timely updates
We track rule, fee and regulator changes across every program for you.
End-to-end support
From your first question to your permit in hand, we guide every step.
Proven track record
2026 Canadian Choice Award winner, trusted since 1991.
What our clients say
Real reviews from clients we have guided across borders.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to register a company in Cyprus?
The Registrar of Companies charges EUR 165, or EUR 235 for a company without share capital. Accelerated registration costs EUR 100 more and a file of translations EUR 160 more. Lawyer, accountant and tax adviser fees are on top.
How long does it take?
Processing time depends on the authority and on how complete your file is. We tell you what we know before you commit.
Do I need to sign in Greek?
The articles are signed in Greek. If you keep them in another language you need a certified translation.
Does a company give me residence in Cyprus?
No. A company is not a residence permit. The Cyprus investor permit asks for an investment that can be shares in a Cyprus company, plus a secure income.
What is the 60-day rule?
The Tax Department says you can be tax resident without 183 days if you are in Cyprus at least 60 days in the tax year, are not more than 183 days in another country, have Cyprus business or employment, and keep a permanent residence in Cyprus, among other conditions.
What is a non-domiciled individual?
A person without a domicile in Cyprus. The Tax Department says such a person is not subject to Special Defence Contribution on certain income, and you are treated as domiciled after 17 of the last 20 years as a tax resident.
Did Cyprus change its tax rules in 2026?
Yes, from 1 January 2026. The Ministry of Finance shows a 5% Special Defence Contribution on dividends from profits earned after that date. Your partner checks current rates before you register.
Is there an annual fee for a Cyprus company?
The Registrar’s fee page still shows EUR 350 due on 30 June, while advisers say the Companies (Amendment) Law 2024 abolished it from 2024. your partner checks the position before you pay.
Can you open a bank account for me?
We introduce you to a bank through our partners in Cyprus. Banks decide, and we cannot promise an account.
What does AIA charge?
We agree the scope and the price with you after a short call. The Registrar and tax costs above are the authorities’ own.
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Last reviewed: 22 October 2026 · Last updated: 22 October 2026
