Permission to buy property
Application to the Council of Ministers
An EU national resident in Cyprus can buy as much land or property as he likes without restriction and without needing permission.
Anyone else must apply to the Council of Ministers for ‘permission’ to buy a property or land and is restricted as follows:
Non- EU Nationals – All non-EU nationals may buy no more than 3 donums (just over 4,000m2 or almost exactly 1 acre) of land and only one house or apartment.
Anyone other than resident EU nationals must therefore apply, in person or via a lawyer, for permission to buy land or property to the District Administration Office in the area where the property is situated. Along with an application form, you will need to supply the following:
Your personal details, including your financial status;
Details of the property;
Details of the present owner, the sale contract and the terms of payment;
A copy of your passport.
The authorities then consider your application, a procedure which may take around six months, but you can take possession of the property while you’re waiting for permission (!). It’s highly unlikely that your request will be refused, and your contract will still be valid if it is, but you should ensure that your lawyer includes provision for such an event in the contract.
Note that Council of Ministers’ permission to buy a property is granted for personal use only, not for letting or commercial purposes.
Also in this section
- Introduction: An introduction to buying property in Cyprus
- Advantages & Disadvantages: What to take into account
- Legal Advice: What you should know
- House Hunting: How to find your dream home in Cyprus?
- Estate Agents: All you need to know to deal with estate agents
- Cost of Property: Can you afford to buy property in Cyprus?
- Property Prices: How much does property cost in Cyprus?
- Permission to buy property: Application to the Council of Ministers
- Fees: Extra costs when buying property in Cyprus
- Inspections & Surveys: What you need to know
- Buying Off Plan: How to buy property off plan
- The purchase procedure: Buying a house step by step
- Payment: All you need to know about the payment process
- Sale Contract: The final step
- Transfer of Inmovable Property: How is it done?
- Letting: Restrictions to letting your home in Cyprus
- Letting Rates: Rental rates and how to increase your rental income
- Using an agent: All you need to know about letting agents
- Doing your own letting: All you need to know to do it yourself
- Information Packs: What they should include