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Permits

MEU2 in Cyprus: residence card for a non-EU family member

If you hold an EU passport and your husband, wife or child does not, they do not apply for an ordinary permit. They apply on MEU2, under free movement law — cheaper, faster and on far better terms than the third-country routes. You have to be in the room when they submit it.

Who this is for

  • The spouse, or the partner who has entered a civil union with an EU citizen
  • Direct descendants under 21, or dependent — the EU citizen's, or the spouse's
  • Dependent relatives in the ascending line — parents and grandparents, again on either side
  • A family member who is themselves an EU citizen uses MEU1 instead
  • Relatives outside these definitions apply on their own account under the Aliens and Immigration Law — see residence permits

What is required

  • A valid passport
  • An entry visa, unless exempt. A valid residence card from Cyprus or any other member state removes the visa requirement
  • You are accompanying or joining the EU citizen, and the relationship falls in the definitions above
  • The EU citizen must show sufficient resources for themselves and for the family members
  • Application within four months of entering the Republic

Documents to bring

  • Form MEU2, completed
  • Valid passport of the family member
  • The EU citizen's identity document and their registration certificate
  • Proof of the relationship — marriage or civil union certificate, birth certificate, or evidence of dependency
  • Evidence of the EU citizen's sufficient resources
  • Everything foreign officially translated and duly certified. A Russian or Serbian certificate is exempt from apostille under the bilateral agreements — see certifying officers

What it costs

€20

The same €20 as the MEU1, which surprises people who expected a third-country price. Translations, certification and any entry visa are separate.

The procedure

  1. Sort the entry visa first if one is needed
  2. Gather the relationship evidence and have it translated and certified
  3. Both of you attend — the EU citizen and the family member, together
  4. Biometrics are taken: photograph, fingerprints and signature. Under sixes give a photograph only
  5. If approved you are notified to collect the card — unlike the MEU1, it is not posted

How long it takes

Up to six months, against one month for the MEU1 — the single biggest practical difference between the two. The six months only run if the file is complete; missing documents suspend the limit entirely. The Department may also interview you or ask for more.

Where it goes wrong

The EU citizen does not come
They must be present at submission and must evidence the resources. Sending the spouse alone wastes the appointment.
Applying on a third-country route by mistake
Free movement terms are better and cheaper. People pay for a visitor permit they never needed.
Assuming six months means six months
The limit applies only to a complete file. One missing translation and there is no deadline at all.
Paying for an apostille on a Russian certificate
Documents issued in Russia or Serbia are exempt from certification altogether under bilateral agreements.
Leaving the country expecting to re-enter freely
Until the card is issued the visa position is what it was. The card itself then exempts you.

How we help

The relationship evidence is where these are won or lost, and it is the part we handle most often: what proves a marriage, what proves dependency for a parent, and which documents need nothing done to them at all. We prepare the file, book the appointment for both of you, and go with you.

Ask us about your case

Common questions

It is the application for a residence card for a family member of an EU citizen who is not themselves an EU national — typically a third-country spouse, child or dependent parent. The fee is €20 and it is filed within four months of entering Cyprus.

Yes. The Union citizen must be present when the MEU2 is submitted, and must provide evidence of sufficient resources for themselves and for the family member.

Up to six months, provided the application is complete and all supporting documents are supplied. If documents are missing, that limit does not apply. The Department may also conduct interviews or ask for more evidence.

Unless you are exempt, yes. But a valid residence card issued by Cyprus or by any other member state exempts you from the visa requirement.

The spouse or civil partner; direct descendants under 21 or dependent, of the Union citizen or of the spouse; and dependent direct relatives in the ascending line, again on either side. Anyone outside those definitions applies on their own account under the Aliens and Immigration Law.

Read more

The other permits

Official sources