Cyprus’ offers a wonderful living experience combining a stress-free and relaxed way of life in a safe environment with a contemporary character, ideal for people who seek balance between work and pleasure. Cypriot legislation includes several tax incentives for individuals who seek to relocate and become Cyprus tax residents.

A physical person is considered tax resident in Cyprus for any calendar year if he/she fulfills any one of the following two tests:

Physical presence in Cyprus of at least 60 days in any calendar year (after 1 January 2017) and fulfillment of all the following conditions.

1. Carries on a business in Cyprus as a self-employed person, or is employed in Cyprus or holds an office with a Cyprus tax resident person (e.g. be a director of a Cyprus company) at any time during the tax year.
2. Does not spend more than 183 days in any other country
3. Maintains a permanent home in Cyprus that is either owned or rented;
4. Is not a tax resident of any other country;

If the business, employment or holding of an office is terminated during the year, then the individual would cease to be considered a Cyprus tax resident for that tax year.

Physical presence in Cyprus for more than 183 days in any calendar year.

For the purpose of calculating the days of presence in Cyprus:

• the day of arrival into Cyprus and arrival and departure from Cyprus on the same day is considered as a day in Cyprus.
• the day of departure from Cyprus and the departure and return to Cyprus on the same day is considered as a day out of Cyprus.

Individuals who are considered Cyprus tax residents (either through the 183 day rule or the 60 day rule) are subject to Income Tax in Cyprus on their worldwide income, both from sources in Cyprus as well as from abroad. Non-Domiciled individuals are exempt from tax on dividends and passive interest income for 17 years.

The procedure of becoming a tax resident involves certain registrations and attendance to a number of authorities and organizations. We will guide you from the beginning until the successful completion of the whole procedure.

In brief, an individual is considered as non-domiciled in Cyprus for tax purposes provided that:

• He/she does not have a Cypriot domicile of origin and
• has not been a Cyprus tax resident for 17 years in the previous 20 years

Thus, any individual who becomes Cyprus tax resident and does not have a Cypriot domicile of origin, shall be considered as non-domiciled for tax purposes until such person is tax resident in Cyprus for 17 years out of the previous 20 years. This test should be performed every year.

Note: There is scope for an individual with a Cypriot domicile of origin to be considered as non-domicile of Cyprus provided certain conditions are met.

In accordance with the Cypriot Wills and Succession Law, an individual has at any given time one of the following two domiciles:

• The domicile of origin, given at birth, which generally follows the domicile of the father and
• The domicile of choice, acquired or maintained through the individual’s actions.

In general, a person acquires a domicile of choice in a country by establishing his/her residence there with the intention of a permanent or indefinite stay. Thus, the domicile of origin is maintained until the person acquires a domicile of choice. The domicile of choice is maintained until the person acquires a new domicile of choice or reverses back to his/her domicile of origin.

Individuals who move their personal tax residency to Cyprus and fullfill the non-domiciled provisions, shall be considered as non-domiciled (‘non-doms’) for Cyprus tax purposes for a maximum of 17 years. As a result, non-doms are completely exempt from tax on any dividends or interest income earned.