What this service does, and what it costs
The Yellow Slip service checks your MEU1 documents against current Cyprus requirements and, on the reviewed tier, has a licensed Cyprus advocate sign off before you submit. The free AI check shows you how many issues your file has. Paid help starts at €29, against €300-900 for an agency or €500-2,000 for full legal representation.
Two costs stay separate, always:
- The €20 government fee per person, paid to the Civil Registry and Migration Department (CRMD) when you file. Verified against eures.gov.cy on 2026-06-17.
- Our service fee, from €29, for checking and preparing your application.
No agency-style bundle that hides the statutory fee inside an opaque price. You see both.
Do you need a Yellow Slip?
The Yellow Slip, officially the MEU1 Registration Certificate, is the document an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen registers for when staying in Cyprus longer than three months. It is issued under Law 7(I)/2007, which transposes EU Directive 2004/38/EC, and it is valid for life. It is not a visa.
You need to register for a Yellow Slip if you are an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen and you plan to stay more than three months as one of:
- An employee or self-employed person
- A student
- A retiree or financially self-sufficient resident
You do not use the MEU1 if:
- You are a non-EU national. Non-EU family members of an EU citizen apply for the MEU2 Residence Card; other non-EU nationals need the Pink Slip (temporary residence permit).
- You are a UK national who arrived after 1 January 2021. UK citizens registered before 31 December 2020 keep their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement; later arrivals are not eligible and follow the Pink Slip or Category F route instead.
You must register within four months of arriving in Cyprus. Verified against eures.gov.cy and gov.cy/moi on 2026-06-17.
Not sure which permit applies to you? See the permit help hub before you start. The Yellow Slip is usually step one in the wider guide to moving to Cyprus.
What you need, and the free document check
Upload your documents and the AI check tells you what is missing or wrong before you book anything. Here is the core checklist every applicant needs:
- Passport or national ID, plus copies
- A completed MEU1 form
- Two passport photos, 35×40mm, white background
- Proof of address
- The €20 government fee
Depending on your status, you also provide proof of employment or self-employment, or proof of sufficient resources for self-sufficient applicants. Law firms commonly cite around €4,613 per year per person (plus about €1,230 per dependent) as the resources benchmark; this figure comes from legal practice, not from a published government schedule, so treat it as a guide. Self-sufficient applicants also need comprehensive health insurance, commonly cited as at least €30,000 of cover (a law-firm practice benchmark, not a government-published minimum). If you still need a policy, DigiCare's Cyprus health insurance meets this cover requirement.
Two details that cause most rejections:
- Proof of address must be a rental agreement of at least one year, stamped at the Tax Office and certified by a Muhtar or Certifying Officer. Verified against mlsi.gov.cy on 2026-06-17.
- Foreign documents must be in Greek or English. Anything else needs an official translation and an apostille. Verified against gov.cy/mip-md on 2026-06-17.
The free AI check flags these gaps so you fix them before your appointment, not at the counter.
What a Yellow Slip costs in 2026
Three cost layers, shown separately so you can see exactly where your money goes:
| Cost | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Government application fee | €20 per person | CRMD (at filing) |
| Certified translation (if needed) | €30-80 per document | Sworn translator |
| Apostille (if needed) | €10-50 per document | Issuing authority |
| Comprehensive health insurance (if required) | €120-200 per year | Insurer |
| Our service (self-serve tier) | from €29 | New to Cyprus |
The €20 figure is the full statutory fee. Verified against eures.gov.cy on 2026-06-17. Some agencies quote a single €300-plus price that quietly folds the €20 government fee inside it. We keep them apart so you know what is a state charge and what is service.
Service-tier prices are shown live at checkout. The ranges below are current planning ranges; the price you pay is the one displayed in the app.
How the service works
Five steps, from free check to ready-to-file:
- Sign up free and run the AI check. Upload your documents and see your issue count, no payment needed.
- Pick a tier and pay through Stripe. You only pay once you have seen what your file needs.
- Answer a guided questionnaire that pre-fills your MEU1 form.
- Optional Koufettas Law review. On the reviewed tier, a Cyprus advocate checks your file and signs off before you file.
- Get your ready-to-file pack plus guidance on booking your appointment.
You file in person at your district Immigration Unit or the CRMD, where biometrics and your own attendance are required. There is no postal option, so the service prepares your file and guides the appointment; it does not attend for you.
One thing to be clear about: the AI flags issues, it never declares your application approved. On the reviewed tier, the Koufettas Law advocate owns that verdict, not the software.
How long it takes, and the 4-month deadline
Register within four months of arriving in Cyprus. Verified against eures.gov.cy and gov.cy/moi on 2026-06-17. Once you attend your appointment, the MEU1 is typically issued same-day to about a month.
The bottleneck is the appointment, not the certificate. Slots at the district Immigration Units fill weeks ahead in peak season, roughly March to May, so book early and have your documents checked before you do. Miss the deadline and you can face a fine, reported up to €2,562.90; apply as soon as you can. (This figure is reported by legal practitioners; the government fine schedule is being re-verified, so treat it as indicative.)
Service tiers
Government fees are always shown separately from the prices below. The reviewed tier is the one most applicants want: the AI catches the gaps, and a Koufettas Law advocate signs off your file.
| Tier | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free AI check | Document check plus an issue count, before you pay | €0 |
| Self-serve | AI checker, MEU1 pre-fill, document checklist | €29-49 |
| Reviewed (most popular) | Everything in self-serve, plus Koufettas Law human review and sign-off before filing | €99-149 |
| Done-with-you | Everything in reviewed, plus a 30-minute consult and appointment guidance | €199-299 |
| Renewal | Streamlined re-check for permits where renewal applies | €19-29 |
Add-ons: an "Ask My Lawyer" 30-minute call (around €49) and a sworn-translation reseller service (about €20-50 per document). Live prices are shown at checkout.
Do you need a lawyer for the Yellow Slip?
For a straightforward EU registration, you do not need full legal representation. What you do want is confidence your documents are right before you queue. That is exactly the reviewed tier: the AI catches gaps, a Koufettas Law advocate signs off, and it costs roughly 80-90% less than full representation.
Competitor firms argue you need a lawyer because of delays, document errors, and the language barrier. Each of those is covered without paying full-representation rates:
| DIY (government only) | Our reviewed tier | Full law firm or agency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | €20 government fee | €99-149 + €20 government fee | €500-2,000 lawyer / €300-900 agency |
| Document accuracy | You guess | AI flags gaps, advocate signs off | Lawyer reviews manually |
| Language barrier | On you | Guided questionnaire, sworn-translation add-on | Lawyer handles |
| Legal assurance | None | Koufettas Law advocate signs off | Full representation |
| Government approval | Not guaranteed | Not guaranteed; reviewer confirms your file is correct | Not guaranteed |
| Best for | Confident, simple cases | A straightforward EU registration you want checked | Complex cases, investment residency, special categories |
No one can guarantee a government approval, and we do not claim to. What the reviewed tier guarantees is that a licensed advocate has confirmed your file is correct before you submit it.
Common mistakes that get applications rejected
These are the errors the free AI check is built to catch, drawn from the rejections reviewers see most often in practice:
- Uncertified translations. Foreign documents need an official translation plus apostille, not a do-it-yourself version.
- Fintech bank statements. Statements from Revolut, Wise, or N26 are often rejected as proof of funds; bring a traditional bank statement.
- Uncertified rental agreements. Your proof of address must be stamped at the Tax Office and certified by a Muhtar.
- Missing apostilles on documents issued abroad.
- The wrong form. Non-EU family members need the MEU2, not the MEU1.
- Laminated documents. Do not laminate certificates; offices reject them.
- Expired documents, including passports close to expiry.
Document rules verified against mlsi.gov.cy on 2026-06-17. Every one of these is a checkpoint in the AI document check.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Yellow Slip cost in Cyprus?
- The government fee is €20 per person, paid to the CRMD. Ancillary costs such as translation, apostille, and insurance are extra. Our help starts at €29 and is shown separately from the government fee.
- How long does it take to get a Yellow Slip?
- Once you attend your appointment, the MEU1 is typically issued same-day to about a month. Book early, because appointment slots fill up in peak season (March to May). The MEU2 for non-EU family members takes several months, commonly three to seven.
- Do you need a lawyer to get a Yellow Slip?
- Not for a straightforward EU registration. The reviewed tier gives you a Koufettas Law sign-off at roughly 80-90% less than full legal representation.
- Can I apply for the Yellow Slip myself or online?
- You file in person at the CRMD or your district Immigration Unit; there is no fully online submission, and biometrics are taken in person. Our self-serve tier pre-fills your MEU1 and checks your documents first. The AI never declares your application approved; on the reviewed tier, a Koufettas Law advocate owns that verdict.
- What documents do I need?
- Passport or ID, a completed MEU1 form, two photos (35×40mm), proof of address (a rental agreement of at least one year, Tax-Office-stamped and Muhtar-certified), and the €20 fee, plus category-specific documents such as proof of employment or health insurance.
- What happens if I miss the 4-month deadline?
- You can face a fine, reported up to €2,562.90, so apply as soon as possible. The exact penalty is set by the authorities.
- Is the Yellow Slip the same as the Pink Slip?
- No. The Yellow Slip (MEU1) is for EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens. The Pink Slip is a temporary residence permit for non-EU nationals. Non-EU family members of an EU citizen use the MEU2.
- Do I need to renew my Yellow Slip?
- No. The MEU1 is valid for life; you only replace it if it is lost or damaged. Our renewal tier covers MEU2 and other permits where renewal does apply.
Important to know
- New to Cyprus is not a law firm. It is a service that helps you prepare your application.
- The AI document check is not legal advice. The AI flags issues in your documents; it never declares an application approved.
- Legal review and sign-off are provided by Koufettas Law. Harris Koufettas, advocate of the Cyprus Bar Association (R.N.4466), is the disclosed operator and reviewer who owns the verdict on the reviewed tier.
- New to Cyprus is part of the DigiCare Insurance family, its disclosed parent company.
- Government fees are shown separately from service fees. Sworn translations are provided through a registered sworn-translator partner.
- This page is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Confirm your own case with the relevant authority or a qualified professional.
Last updated: 2026-06-17