Cabinet on Wednesday decided to revoke the Cypriot citizenship of Malaysian-born Jho Low, an internationally wanted fugitive.Though the decision was taken last year, Low filed an appeal prompting an independent committee to re-examine the case. Government sources told the Cyprus Mail the committee decided to reject the appeal, prompting the interior minister to put the … Read more
Authorities are close to completing an investigation into how Malaysian fugitive Jho Low obtained Cypriot citizenship in 2015. Low, wanted for allegedly embezzling billions from Malaysia’s 1MDB fund, acquired a Cypriot passport through the country’s citizenship by investment program. The investigation involves an international arrest warrant and the potential confiscation of a villa Low purchased in Ayia Napa. Despite initial delays, Low’s citizenship was revoked in May 2023, leading to an appeal filed with the Supreme Court. Low denies wrongdoing and his whereabouts are unknown.
Cypriot authorities are revoking the citizenship of 68 investors and 165 dependents next week due to criminal offenses pending against them. Among those affected are individuals from China, Russia, and India. The decision to strip citizenship was made based on information provided by Interpol regarding various criminal charges, such as fraud and bribery, that carry significant prison sentences. The individuals have the right to appeal the decision with the Independent Authority on Citizenship Debarment.
Oleg Deripaska dismissed the latest U.S. sanctions on companies connected to a scheme as nonsense. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Russian companies disguising ownership of a .6 billion industrial stake controlled by Deripaska, leading to Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank International dropping a planned purchase. Deripaska, previously sanctioned by Britain and the U.S., has challenged the sanctions, calling them groundless and absurd. He was also stripped of his Cypriot citizenship after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and added to the E.U.’s sanctions list in April 2022.
Fact: 14 applications for granting Cypriot citizenship to children of mixed marriages between Turkish Cypriots and Turkish citizens have been approved so far.
– Vinod Adani is the top-ranking Cypriot on the Forbes World’s Billionaires List for 2024 with a net worth of billion.
– Adani, aged 75, resides in Dubai but has Cypriot citizenship.
The Ministerial Council has authorized the Ministers of Health and Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment to allow the passage of processed non-animal origin products, such as coffee and frozen vegetables, through crossing points. This decision is part of a package of 14 measures aimed at improving conditions for Turkish Cypriots, including expanding the list of goods permitted under the Green Line Regulation.
Fact: The Turkish Cypriot born to a “mixed marriage” had his appeal against a denial of his Cypriot citizenship rejected by the Nicosia administrative court.
The new requirements for applying for Cypriot nationality include: living in Cyprus for 12 months continuously before the application submission (with a permissible absence of up to 90 days), being of good character, having sufficient knowledge of the Greek language (proven by a written examination), demonstrating knowledge of local political and social realities (assessed by a 3-member committee), having suitable accommodation and stable financial resources, intending genuinely to reside in Cyprus, and excluding asylum seekers or holders of international protection, and foreign students from the time of stay calculation. Failure to meet any of these conditions results in application rejection. The requirements have retrospective effect, applying even to applications submitted before the law amendment in March 2024. Exceptions are made for Ireland and Denmark within the EU. Highly skilled foreign workers can obtain citizenship after residing in Cyprus for four to five years, depending on qualifications, and must pass a Greek language test at level B1 for a five-year stay or A1 for a four-year stay, without needing to pass history/culture tests.
The interior ministry of the Republic of Cyprus announced a new set of criteria for naturalisation as citizens. Applicants must have legal and continuous residence for 12 months before applying, with absences not exceeding 90 days in total not interrupting this period. They must have legally resided in Cyprus for at least seven years within the ten years preceding the 12-month period. Applicants must be of good character, have a minimum B1 level knowledge of the Greek language, understand basic elements of Cyprus’s modern political and social reality, have adequate accommodation, stable and regular financial resources for themselves and their family, and intend to continue residing in Cyprus. There are also specific criteria for the naturalisation of “highly skilled” individuals, which applies to employees of companies with foreign interests operating in Cyprus, Cypriot shipping, high-tech, innovation, pharmaceutical, biogenetics, and technology companies. These applicants have reduced residence and language requirements, needing only three or four years of residence in Cyprus and a minimum A2 level of Greek language competence.