Settling-in checklist
Living in Cyprus: your first 90 days, one step at a time
Twelve things every newcomer has to sort out, in the order that saves you queues. Tick them off; the page remembers.
The short answer (September 2026)
In your first week in Cyprus, sort transport, a place to live, a Migration Department appointment and a bank account. In the first month, connect electricity and water, apply for your residence permit, register with GeSY and place the kids in school. After that it is upkeep: a car of your own, road tax, permit renewal and the house.
I moved here in August 2022 with three children, and the thing I wanted most was a list in the right order. This is that list. Each card has one link: the guide that explains the step properly.
Volha BendzikRelocation editorYour settling-in checklist
Three phases, one next step per card. Tick a card when it is done and it folds away, so the list only ever shows what is left.
Week 1
The four things everything else depends on.
- 1
Rent a car for the first weeks
There is no railway and buses thin out fast beyond the town centres. Viewings, banks and offices are far easier on four wheels.
- 2
Find a place to live
An address is the first thing the bank, the permit office and the school will ask you for.
What rent costs, city by cityFull guide coming soon. - 3
Book the Migration Department
The appointment is the slowest part of any permit, so ask for a date before your paperwork is finished.
How to book: one mailbox per districtFull guide coming soon. - 4
Open a bank account
Rent, utilities and salary all expect a Cyprus IBAN, and opening an account takes longer than most people plan for.
Month 1
Utilities, your permit, healthcare and school.
- 5
Connect electricity (EAC)
The account carries a deposit, and electricity is the bill newcomers most often underestimate.
- 6
Connect water and sewerage
Water now comes from your district's EOA (the old water board), separately from electricity and with its own deposit.
- 7
Apply for your residence permit
EU citizens register for the Yellow Slip; everyone else needs a different permit. Find yours before you collect documents.
- 8
Register with GeSY
You choose a personal doctor when you register. You want one before the first fever, not during it.
- 9
Place the kids
With three children, this is the step I would start first. Kindergarten, school and university each run on their own calendar.
Ongoing
What keeps coming back once you are settled.
- 10
Buy and register a car, pay road tax
When a long rental stops making sense, buying brings registration, insurance and annual road tax with it.
The four running costs of a carFull guide coming soon.Official site: Road Transport Department - 11
Renew your permit on time
Put the expiry date in your calendar the day the permit is issued, and check your documents well before it.
- 12
Keep the home running
Air conditioning, repairs and the summer electricity bill are the costs of a Cyprus home that never appear in the rent.
Why summer bills run highFull guide coming soon.
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Settling in, in four stretches
The 90 days at a glance
- 1
Days 1 to 7: car, home, appointment request, bank
Your move.Everything later asks for an address or an IBAN
- 2
Weeks 2 to 4: electricity, water, permit application, GeSY, school places
Your move.Keep copies of your passport and tenancy agreement to hand
- 3
Weeks 4 to 12: your permit application is with the office
Waiting on the office.Your part is answering any follow-up quickly
- 4
Month 3 onward: a car of your own, renewals, the house
Your move.The recurring dates: road tax, permit expiry, AC service
The order that avoids repeat trips. The stretches are planning ranges, not official deadlines; each linked guide carries the dated, sourced figures.
If you would rather not do it all yourself
- Relocation concierge
The relocation concierge on this site, run by the same owner, can do the utility, car, home-search and school legwork with you; the relocation plan is free.
- Free document check
For the permit, the free document check comes first, and a review by Koufettas Law is an optional paid upgrade, never the default.
- Sister company
If you want a car without committing to buy, Rentals in Cyprus is a sister company under the same ownership as this site.
- Parent company
Health, car and home insurance come from DigiCare, the parent company of New to Cyprus, and only once the step itself is done.
What this list does not cover: buying property, tax residency and removals. Each deserves a qualified adviser, and I would rather send you to one than guess.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first after moving to Cyprus?
Sort four things in your first week: transport, a place to live, a Migration Department appointment request and a bank account. The address and the IBAN are what nearly every later step asks for, and the appointment is the slowest thing to get.
How long does it take to settle in Cyprus?
Plan on about 90 days for the essentials. Most of the first month is in your hands; the permit is the part that runs on the Migration Department's timetable, which is why the appointment request sits in week 1.
Is the checklist the same for EU and non-EU newcomers?
The steps are the same; the permit is what differs. EU citizens register for the Yellow Slip (MEU1), non-EU family members of an EU citizen apply for MEU2, and other non-EU newcomers usually need a Pink Slip or a work or student permit.
Do I need a car in Cyprus?
Almost certainly, unless you will stay inside one town centre. Cyprus has no railway and rural and evening buses are thin. Most newcomer families rent monthly at first and buy once they know where they are staying; the driving guide covers licences and road rules.
How do I find a pharmacy open at night?
Each district has duty pharmacies every night, set by the Ministry of Health rota. They are open into the evening and the pharmacist stays on call until 08:00 for prescriptions. There is no national phone line; the night pharmacies list shows tonight's for every district, refreshed daily.
Does this page save my progress?
Yes, in your browser only. Ticks are stored on your device and nothing is sent to a server. If you want the list somewhere safer, use the email option after your third tick.
Can someone do these steps for me?
Yes. The relocation concierge on this site handles the utility, car, home-search and school legwork. For permits, start with the free document check; a lawyer review by Koufettas Law is an optional paid upgrade.
What does this checklist not cover?
Buying property, tax residency and removals. Each of those needs a qualified adviser, so they are deliberately left off rather than covered badly.
Moved to Cyprus in August 2022 with three children, and wrote this list in the order she would do it again.