Corporate Mobility / Cyprus / Route
Cyprus · Investment route
Incorporate a Cyprus private company with no minimum share capital, a €165 Registrar fee and 15% corporate tax from 2026.
Last updated: 2026-10-01
Programme overviewنظرة عامة
Advising UAE-based founders and companies on business immigration from our Dubai office.
Overview
A Cyprus private company limited by shares gives an international founder an EU-incorporated company under the Companies Law, Cap. 113, with 100% foreign ownership and no minimum share capital. The 2026 tax reform has reshaped the numbers: corporate tax is 15% from 1 January 2026, stamp duty is abolished from the same date, and the annual company levy was abolished from 2024.
Incorporation is a business decision rather than an immigration one: a Cyprus company does not give its owner a right to live in Cyprus.
What you need
- Directors and a company secretary. The company secretary is mandatory.
- A registered office address in Cyprus.
- Passport, proof of address and KYC and source-of-funds documents for each shareholder and director.
- A clear business purpose. Banks and the tax authorities look for real activity behind the company.
Official costs
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Incorporation, company with share capital | €165 | Registrar of Companies fee |
| Incorporation, company without share capital | €235 | Registrar of Companies fee |
| Accelerated registration (optional) | €100 | In addition to the incorporation fee |
| Annual return (HE32) | €20 | Filed every year |
| Annual company levy | Abolished | From 2024 |
| Stamp duty | Abolished | From 1 January 2026 |
Registered office, company secretary, notarisation, translation and bank-introduction services are service-provider charges rather than government fees. XIPHIAS quotes them per file.
Tax: the 2026 position
- Corporate tax: 15% from 1 January 2026, under the Income Tax Law 118(I)/2002 as amended by the reform package published in the Official Gazette on 31 December 2025.
- Company tax residence: a company incorporated in Cyprus is now tax resident in Cyprus by default, even when it is managed from abroad, unless it is tax resident elsewhere. Incorporation alone still does not create the substance that a treaty partner, or your home country, will test.
- Personal income tax bands from 2026, relevant if you relocate: 0% up to €22,000; 20% up to €32,000; 25% up to €42,000; 30% up to €72,000; 35% above €72,000.
- Non-domiciled individuals: domicile is deemed acquired after residence in 17 of the last 20 years. A new election allows a flat payment of €50,000 a year for five years (€250,000 in total) to keep non-domiciled treatment.
- Special defence contribution on dividends: 5% for Cyprus-resident, domiciled individuals.
- The notional interest deduction on new equity remains available.
Timeline
Incorporation runs through the Registrar of Companies, which offers an accelerated service for an additional €100. Overall timing depends on the Registrar's workload and on how quickly the KYC documents are complete; XIPHIAS gives you a timetable once your file is ready.
Residence and travel
Owning or directing a Cyprus company confers no residence right. Residence in Cyprus is a separate application; for investors, see Cyprus permanent residence by investment.
Cyprus is an EU member state but not part of the Schengen area: controls at its internal borders have not been lifted, and no accession date has been officially set.
Risks to plan for
- A company with no real activity in Cyprus can still be taxed there, and may fail substance tests elsewhere.
- Bank account opening depends on each bank's own due diligence.
- Annual filings are mandatory: the HE32 return, financial statements and tax returns.
- Incorporation gives no right to live in Cyprus, and Cyprus is outside the Schengen area.
Talk to our Cyprus business immigration consultants in Dubai
XIPHIAS Immigration has advised families and businesses since 2009, and our Dubai team works with UAE residents. We were named Best Immigration Consultant by The Times of India in 2022. Our immigration consultants in Dubai will take you through the requirements, costs and timeline for your specific case.
Sources
At a glanceلمحة
Key highlights
- ✦EU member state
- ✦15% corporate tax from 2026
- ✦No minimum share capital
- ✦Annual levy and stamp duty abolished
What you getالمزايا
100% foreign ownership permitted.
No minimum share capital for a private company.
Corporate tax at 15% from 1 January 2026.
Stamp duty abolished from 1 January 2026; annual company levy abolished from 2024.
Official incorporation fee of €165.
EU-incorporated company under the Companies Law, Cap. 113.
Investment & costsالتكاليف
Government & due-diligence fees
Figures are indicative and exclusive of professional fees. Your advisor confirms an exact, written cost breakdown for your family size.
Eligibilityالأهلية
Requirements
Minimum age 18 (EU or non-EU citizen).
Valid passport and proof of address.
KYC and source-of-funds documents for shareholders and directors.
Directors and a company secretary (mandatory).
Registered office address in Cyprus (can be arranged).
Annual return, financial statements and tax filings.
Who cannot apply
Incomplete incorporation paperwork.
Failure to meet KYC or anti-money-laundering checks.
Unclear business purpose or source of funds.
Non-compliance with annual filings or taxes.
The processكيف نعمل
Consultation
Define goals and choose the structure: private limited company, branch or holding company.
Name approval
Agree the proposed company name with the Registrar of Companies.
Constitutional documents
Prepare the memorandum and articles, and appoint directors and a company secretary.
Company registration
File with the Registrar (€165 fee) and receive the certificate of incorporation.
Tax setup
Obtain the Tax Identification Code and VAT number where required.
Bank account
Open a corporate account once the bank's due diligence is complete.
Compliance
File the annual return (HE32, €20), financial statements and tax returns each year.
Sponsorship & salary rulesالرواتب
Registrar incorporation fee
Company with share capital; €235 for a company without share capital. Accelerated registration adds €100.
Annual return (HE32)
Filed with the Registrar every year. The annual company levy was abolished from 2024.
- ✦There is no statutory minimum share capital for a private company.
- ✦A company secretary is mandatory.
- ✦Incorporation confers no right of residence in Cyprus.
- ✦From 2026 a Cyprus-incorporated company is tax resident in Cyprus by default, unless it is tax resident elsewhere.
Free zone comparisonالمناطق الحرة
Registrar of Companies, Cyprus
- ✦Registers companies and issues the certificate of incorporation (€165 fee).
- ✦Administers the Companies Law, Cap. 113, including the annual return (HE32).
Tax Department of Cyprus
- ✦Issues the Tax Identification Code and handles VAT registration.
- ✦Assesses corporate income tax at 15% from 1 January 2026.
Central Bank of Cyprus
- ✦Supervises the banks that open corporate accounts.
- ✦Banks apply due diligence and anti-money-laundering checks before onboarding a company.
Risk notes
A Cyprus-incorporated company is tax resident in Cyprus by default from 2026, even when managed from abroad, unless it is tax resident elsewhere.
Incorporation does not create the substance a treaty partner or your home country will test.
Owning a Cyprus company confers no residence right, and Cyprus is not part of the Schengen area.
Bank account opening depends on each bank's own due diligence.
Compliance
Registered office, company secretary, notarisation and translation are service-provider charges, quoted per file.
File the HE32 annual return (€20) every year.
Personal tax bands from 2026: 0% to €22,000, 20% to €32,000, 25% to €42,000, 30% to €72,000, 35% above.
Questionsأسئلة شائعة
This route, answered.
15% from 1 January 2026, under the Income Tax Law as amended by the reform package published on 31 December 2025.
Start the Cyprus route.
A senior advisor will confirm the exact costs, timeline and documents for your case — privately, and entirely off the record.