What a Cyprus immigration consultation is (and who gives it)
A consultation here is a scheduled 30 to 60 minute session with a licensed Cyprus advocate who works in immigration, residency and citizenship. You speak to a qualified lawyer, not an AI and not a generalist relocation agent. The advocate reviews your situation, answers your questions and gives you a plan you can act on.
This matters because of one rule most websites skip: in Cyprus, legal advice for a fee may be given only by a licensed advocate registered with the Cyprus Bar Association. So when you pay for advice on this page, it comes from a Bar-registered advocate, not from software.
For the wider moving-to-Cyprus picture, see our immigration services overview. For how a specific permit works step by step, read the editorial residence permit guides.
Do you need an immigration lawyer in Cyprus?
Often, no. If you are an EU citizen registering your residence with a Yellow Slip, that is close to an administrative formality and most people handle it themselves. EU nationals are expected to register within four months of arriving, and the state fee is small. Start with the free AI check, and if it is straightforward use the self-serve Yellow Slip service. Paying a lawyer for a simple registration is money you do not need to spend.
A consultation earns its cost when the stakes or the complexity rise. Talk to an advocate if you face any of these:
- Permanent residence by investment or Category F: larger sums, verification duties and long processing queues.
- Citizenship by naturalisation: multi-year residence rules and document trails.
- A visa refusal or an appeal: deadlines are tight and the work is advocate-only.
- Complex family reunification or work-permit cases, where one wrong document restarts the clock.
To keep this clear: we cover the Republic of Cyprus, the government-controlled area, only. We do not handle matters in the Turkish-occupied north.
The honest split is the point. Most simple permits go through the Civil Registry and Migration Department without a lawyer; the complex cases are where an advocate changes the outcome.
How much does a Cyprus immigration lawyer cost? (transparent price ladder)
No Cyprus law firm we found publishes a price. They all promise "fixed fees" and show none. We publish the whole ladder instead, so you can see exactly what each rung costs before you commit. Prices are read live from our service catalogue, so the figures below are current-tier ranges, not a stale quote.
| Tier | What it includes | Price | How to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free AI check | Automated eligibility scan; shows your issue count | €0 | Check free |
| Self-serve | Guided self-application plus AI check, no human review | from €29 | Start in the app |
| Koufettas-reviewed | Self-serve plus licensed-advocate document review and sign-off | from €99 | Start in the app |
| Done-with-you (30-min consult)(most booked) | Booked session with a Koufettas advocate plus a written action plan | from €199 | Book in the app |
| "Ask My Lawyer" add-on | Single 30-minute advocate question-and-answer | from €49 | Add in the app |
| Full representation | End-to-end handling of a complex case by Koufettas Law | Quoted per case | Enquire |
The consultation fee is credited toward full representation if you decide to go ahead, so a paid session is never money lost. These are our service fees. Government charges are separate: the Yellow Slip, for example, costs €20 per person paid to the state, which no service fee replaces.
Booking an advocate vs a free consultation vs doing it yourself
Plenty of Cyprus firms advertise a "free consultation". Usually that means a short intake call, often with junior staff, whose job is to sign you to a full retainer. Our paid consultation works the other way round: guaranteed substantive time with a licensed advocate, scoped to your questions, with no pressure to retain, and the fee is credited if you proceed.
| Dimension | Do it yourself | Typical "free consultation" | New to Cyprus paid consult |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who you speak to | No one; AI check only | Intake or junior staff | A licensed Koufettas advocate |
| Time | Self-paced | Short, sales-oriented | 30 to 60 minutes, substantive |
| You walk away with | An issue count | A quote and a retainer pitch | A written action plan |
| Cost | €0 to €99 | €0, then a full retainer | from €199, credited to representation |
| Obligation | None | Pressure to sign | None |
If your case is simple, do it yourself and keep the money. If it is complex, a paid hour with an advocate is cheaper than fixing a refused application later.
When a consultation is worth it: case types that need an advocate
These are the cases where a licensed advocate materially changes your outcome, and where a consultation usually leads into full representation:
- Permanent residence by investment: the fast-track route starts from a €300,000 property investment plus a secured annual income, with periodic verification duties an advocate confirms for your case.
- Category F residence: a fixed minimum income requirement, and a processing queue that currently runs well over a year, so getting the file right the first time matters.
- Citizenship by naturalisation: the standard route needs seven years of legal residence within the last eleven; a shorter three-to-four-year route exists for highly skilled applicants with Greek-language proof.
- Work permits for hiring third-country staff: the Company of Foreign Interest route run through the government's business-facilitation service, plus the EU Blue Card for higher-salaried roles.
- Entry permits that turn complicated: a Pink Slip (temporary residence) or a Digital Nomad Visa is often self-serve, but a refusal, a borderline income case or an added family member can make advocate review worth the fee.
- Visa refusals and appeals: deadline-driven, advocate-only work.
- Complex family reunification and high-net-worth tax-residency structuring, including the 183-day and 60-day residency rules.
If your situation is on this list, book a consultation; it is the entry point to full Koufettas Law representation.
What happens in your consultation (and who reviews it)
The flow is built so you never pay before you see value:
- Sign up free and run the AI check. It flags the issues in your case and shows the count.
- Pick a consultation slot that suits you.
- Meet a licensed advocate for 30 to 60 minutes. They review the flagged issues and your documents.
- Get a written action plan with your next steps.
- Escalate to full representation only if you want to.
One line governs the whole product: a human licensed advocate owns every verdict. The AI never declares an application "approved". It only flags what to check. The advice, and the decision, come from the advocate.
Why Koufettas Law: the advocate behind the consultation
New to Cyprus is the platform. Koufettas Law is the disclosed legal-service operator and reviewer. The advocate you meet is Harris Koufettas, a real Cyprus advocate registered with the Cyprus Bar Association under R.N.4466, and you can confirm that on the public Bar register yourself.
That verifiability is the trust model. Cyprus advocates hold an annual practising licence and are listed on the public register, so you are never taking our word for who gives your advice. Read more on the advocate's profile.
Book your Cyprus consultation
Start with the free AI check. Sign up, see your issue count, and only then decide whether to book a paid session. There is no payment to run the check and no obligation to book, and if you do book, the fee is credited toward representation.
Before you rely on this page
- New to Cyprus is not a law firm.
- The free and self-serve AI tiers are not legal advice. Legal advice is given only by the licensed advocate.
- Koufettas Law is the disclosed legal-service operator and reviewer for this service; reviewed by Harris Koufettas, Cyprus Bar R.N.4466.
- The AI never declares an application "approved"; the advocate owns every verdict.
- We cover the Republic of Cyprus, the government-controlled area, only.
- Government fees and decisions are separate from our service fees. We cannot guarantee approval or timing.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need an immigration lawyer to move to Cyprus?
- Not for a simple EU registration such as the Yellow Slip, which most people self-serve using the free AI check. You do want an advocate for investment residency, citizenship, refusals and appeals, and complex work-permit or family cases.
- How much does an immigration lawyer cost in Cyprus?
- No Cyprus firm publishes a price. We publish a full ladder: a free AI check at €0, a reviewed tier from €99, a done-with-you consultation from €199, and full representation quoted per case. Prices are read live from our catalogue, and government fees are separate.
- Is the consultation free?
- No. It is a paid, substantive session with a licensed advocate, and the fee is credited toward full representation. The AI eligibility check that comes before it is free.
- Who will I actually speak to?
- A licensed Cyprus advocate from Koufettas Law, Harris Koufettas (Cyprus Bar R.N.4466), not an AI and not a generalist agent.
- Can a lawyer submit my application for me?
- Yes. You can apply through a representative, but you must attend in person for biometrics after approval.
- Is New to Cyprus a law firm?
- No. It is a platform. Koufettas Law is the disclosed legal-service operator and reviewer, and the AI tier is not legal advice.
- Do you handle northern Cyprus cases?
- No. We cover the Republic of Cyprus, the government-controlled area, only.
Last updated: 2026-07-18