Cyprus has launched a new digital service allowing eligible third-country nationals to renew their residence permits online, the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection and the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy announced on Monday.
Who can use the service
According to the announcement, the service is available to third-country nationals legally residing in the Republic of Cyprus who wish to renew their residence permits. It is also open to employers submitting renewal applications on behalf of their employees, as well as to authorised representatives, including organisations, law firms and other natural or legal persons acting on behalf of applicants.
What the service covers
At this stage, the service covers renewals of temporary residence permits for salaried employment, domestic employment and employees of Companies of Foreign Interests. It also covers residence permit renewals for family reunification and long-term resident status. The announcement notes that the service currently applies only to the renewal of existing residence permits and does not cover first-time applications.
How it works
Through the platform, users can submit renewal applications and supporting documents electronically, manage authorisations granted to representatives, monitor the progress of their applications, pay the applicable fees online and select their preferred service point for the remaining stages of the process and the collection of their new residence permit.
As clarified in the announcement, applicants will only be required to appear in person where this is mandatory, particularly for the collection of signatures and biometric data.
Expected coverage
Once fully operational, the new digital service is expected to handle 73% of all renewal applications for the covered residence permit categories, 60% of all applications for those categories, including both first-time applications and renewals, and 25% of all residence permit applications submitted across all categories, according to the announcement.
