Can I Get a Cypriot Passport by Descent?

Yes — if you have Cypriot ancestry, you can likely obtain a Cypriot passport through citizenship by descent, one of the fastest and most straightforward routes to EU citizenship.

Who Qualifies for Citizenship by Descent?

1. Parent Born in Cyprus

If your mother or father is a Cypriot citizen, you qualify automatically.

2. Grandparent Born in Cyprus

If your grandparent was Cypriot, you may qualify as long as:

• They were citizens or registered as Cypriot, and

• You can document the lineage (birth certificates linking each generation).

3. Children Born Abroad to Cypriot Citizens

Even if you were born outside Cyprus, you still qualify if your parent was Cypriot at the time of your birth.

Documentation Required

• Birth certificates (you, parent, grandparent)

• Marriage certificates where applicable

• Proof of Cypriot citizenship or registration for your ancestor

• Apostilles + certified translations

What Makes This Route Easy

• No residency requirement

• No language test

• No integration exam

• Dual citizenship allowed

• Fast processing compared to naturalization

Common Challenges

• Missing or damaged older records

• Name variations

• Historically inconsistent spellings

These are solvable through supplementary documentation and registry searches.

Bottom Line

If you have Cypriot ancestry, obtaining a passport through descent is one of the easiest ways to secure EU citizenship.

Use CitizenCY to streamline your application.

Download the CitizenCY app for ancestry tools, document checklists, and expert support.