Cyprus

Cyprus

Cyprus was a British Protectorate up to 04.11.1914. From this date to 15.08.1960 it was a British Colony. You could be eligible for British citizenship if you were:

• Born between 01.01.1949 and 31.12.1982, a parent was born in Cyprus before 15.08.1960 and that parent had a parent born in the UK;
• Born between 01.01.1949 and 15.08.1960 in Cyprus, and you have a UK-born grandparent; OR
• Born after 31.12.1982, a parent was born in Cyprus before 15.08.1960 and that parent had a UK-born grandparent.

There are hundreds of other ways to qualify. As a general rule, if you were born in a country that is different to either parent or any of your grandparents, or you have a connection back to the UK, Ireland or a former British Territory, then you might have a claim.

How can I find out if I can claim British nationality?

We suggest following our 4 STEP PROCESS, designed to simplify the complex laws of British nationality and to avoid uneccessary and expensive application fees, to find your answer:

Step 1: Dertermine whether you have a Standard Route (birth in the UK before 1983, or a parent born in the UK before 1983)
Step 2: If not, complete our free Nationality Assessment
Step 3: Order a free Status Trace
Step 4: Conduct a Citizenship Report

Complete our nationality assessment

To find out whether you or your children might have a claim, take a couple of moments to complete our FREE online passport assessment.

 

The Independence Day arrangements on 16.08.1960 also give rise to many Cyprus residents gaining one of the various forms of British Nationality. As a general rule, those born when it was a Protectorate gained British Protected Person (BPP) status. This status would have been lost on the termination of the Protectorate on 05.11.1914. Those born when in Cyprus thereafter would have held Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC) status. This status would have been lost if the new Cypriot constitution granted nationality. If not, then British Overseas Citizen (BOC) status would have been achieved and, in some cases, this can be upgraded to full British Nationality.

If either of your parents where in Crown service at the two Military bases, then you would almost certainly be granted British Nationality since the territory would be considered British for nationality purposes. For these and other forms of British Nationality available to Cypriot residents, those born in Cyprus or Cypriot nationals, click on British Citizenship.

Acquisition of Cyrus Citizenship

a) Those connected to Cyprus by birth, by descent (male line only) and annexation automatically became Citizens of Cyprus on 16/8/60 only if ordinarily resident there at some stage in the preceding five years.

b) There are 13 exceptions to the general rule of automatic loss here. The Exceptions are as follows;

(i) Wives of CUKC’s who are not subject to automatic loss.

(ii) Those who would otherwise become stateless.

(iii) A person born outside Cyprus in the UK or a Colony (as at 16/2/61)

(iv) A person naturalised in the UK and Colonies (no reference to the Colony needing to be such on 16/2/61)

(v) A person registered as a Citizen of the UK and Colonies  (no reference to the Colony needing to be such on 16/2/61)

(vi) A person who became a British Subject by Annexation of territory included in a Colony.

(vii) A person whose father or father’s father would qualify in (v), (iv) & (iii) & (vi)

(viii) A person born in a Protectorate, Protected State or UK Trust Territory (as at 16/2/61)

(ix) A person whose father or father’s father was born in a Protectorate, Protected State or UK Trust Territory where that person was at any time a British Subject.

x) A person born after 1/1/49 whose father was a British Subject without Citizenship at

 the date of the persons birth and immediately before 16/2/61.

xi) A person who was born before 1/1/49 whose father was a British Subject at the time of the birth and a British Subject without Citizenship immediately before 16/2/61.

xii) A person who was ordinarily resident in the UK , a Colony, protectorate, protected state, UK Trust Territory or any Independent Commonwealth Country and it’s dependencies. 

xiii) A person born after 16/2/61 and a later uncertain agreed date where the father was a CUKC at the time of birth and was ordinarily resident in any of the places in (xii) on 16/2/61.

c) Those that later registered as Citizens of Cyprus also were subject to the automatic loss of Citizenship of the UK and Colonies – this is different to all the other former Colonies.

STATUS OF CYPRUS

Up to 04.11.1914, Cyprus was a British Protectorate. Click here for more information on the status of a British Protected Person (based on birth in a British Protectorate).

Between 05.11.1914 and 31.12.1948, it fell within the British Crown Dominions.

From 01.01.1949 until 15.08.1960, it fell within the UK and Colonies. Click here for more information on the status of Citizen of the United Kingdom & Colonies (CUKC), a status achieved by birth in the Colony.

From 16.08.1960 and up to the present day, it was an independent Commonwealth country. Click here for more information about the consequences of being born in a Commonwealth country.

Cyprus is a member of the European Union.

Click here for more information on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

STATUS OF Akrotiri & Dhekelia UK Cyprus Military Bases

Up to 04.11.1914, the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus were a British Protectorate. Click here for more information on the status of a British Protected Person (based on birth in a British Protectorate).

Between 05.11.1914 and 31.12.1948, they fell within the British Crown Dominions.

From 01.01.1949 until 31.12.1982, they fell within the UK and Colonies. Click here for more information on the status of Citizen of the United Kingdom & Colonies (CUKC), a status achieved by birth in the Colony.

From 01.01.1983 until the present day, they are a British Dependent Territory. Click here for more information on the status of a  British Overseas Dependent Territory.

Cypriots aged between 18-30 qualify for a Working Holiday Visa for Australia.