Guide
Cyprus tax residency: the 183-day rule and the 60-day rule in 2026
Updated
Non-dom status is worthless without Cyprus tax residence, and residence is where the 2026 reform quietly moved the goalposts.
Two ways to become a Cyprus tax resident individual
An individual is a tax resident of Cyprus if they reside in Cyprus for more than 183 days in the tax year, or if they meet the requirements of the 60-day residence rule (businessincyprus.gov.cy, the government's business portal).
The Income Tax (Amending) Law N. 244(I)/2025, in force from 1 January 2026, amended the definition of resident of the Republic. The Tax Department's presentation on the reform states that the 183-day rule was not amended, and that the 60-day rule now applies regardless of whether the individual is a tax resident of another state, with the rule's remaining conditions continuing to apply (Tax Department, Tax Reform 2026: Income Tax).
Verify before relying on this: the Tax Department's presentation confirms which condition was removed but does not restate the 60-day rule's remaining conditions, and the Tax Department's own residence page on mof.gov.cy was unreachable when we checked on 15 August 2026. We therefore do not list those conditions here. Get them from the Tax Department or your Cyprus adviser before planning a year around 60 days.
Companies: a new incorporation test
The same amendment changed corporate residence. A company is a resident of the Republic on the management and control test, which was not amended, and additionally if it was incorporated in the Republic under the Companies Law, unless a double taxation treaty provides otherwise. A company that transfers its registered office or seat to Cyprus is treated as incorporated in Cyprus, and the previous condition that the company must not be resident in another state was deleted (Tax Department).
That matters to anyone who set up a Cyprus company and deliberately managed it from elsewhere. From 2026 incorporation alone can make it Cyprus tax resident, subject to treaty relief.
Who has to file
- For the 2025 tax year, an individual with gross income exceeding €19,500 had to register and file.
- From the 2026 tax year, you must register and file if you have gross income falling under article 5 of the Income Tax Law, or if you are a Cyprus tax resident who has reached 25 but not 71 by 31 December of the tax year, regardless of income.
- A legal entity registered in the Republic must register and file.
All three are stated on the government business portal (businessincyprus.gov.cy). The age-based filing obligation is new and catches residents with no income at all.