Marrying and Sponsoring a Cypriot
Listen to this article- Middle Eastern Island in the Mediterranean Sea South of Turkey.
- The weather in Cyprus is temperate, with typical Mediterranean hot, dry summers and cool winters.
- There are moderate earthquakes and drought.
Marriage to a Cypriot Citizen
Every country has laws that apply to its citizens marrying a person from a different country. Getting married to a Cypriot citizen to bring them to Canada to live eventually is a process with many steps. The Cypriot government imposes strict requirements on foreigners who marry Cypriots as an indirect way of discouraging Cypriot citizens from moving to other countries.
You must demonstrate to Cypriot officials that they are not currently married to anyone else – either you have never been married, or all divorces are finalized – that your identity is proven and that you have never committed any crimes in Cyprus. This is done by providing various documents, including an Affidavit of Single Status, to the Cypriot government either in Cyprus or via a Cypriot embassy.
If you want to bring your Cypriot spouse or partner to live in Canada, you must then file a sponsorship application for them to become a permanent resident. If they would like to visit you in Canada while their application is in process, they must also apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). For more information, please see our family sponsorship page and our eTA page.
Cypriot Marriage Basic Requirements
In order to marry a citizen of Cyprus, you must demonstrate to the Cypriot government that you are eligible to do so. This includes:
- Proof of country of birth
- Proof of single status
- Proof of age requirement
Before any couple can get access to Cyprus to visit whether to get married or on holiday, the following are the requirements that should be met:
- Completed and signed application form by the applicant (if required)
- 2 passport photos
- Valid passport for more than 3 months
- Copy of return ticket or itinerary
- Hotel reservations
- Evidence of sufficient funds to sustain stay for period desired.
Cypriot Marriage Ceremony
The marriage ceremony to a Cypriot citizen can legally take place in Cyprus, Canada, or any other country as long as both parties have the necessary visas to enter this country legally. This marriage can then be recognized when applying for a permanent residence or an eTA for your Cypriot spouse. To learn more about ceremony customs, see below.
Family Members
If your Cypriot spouse has dependent children, this does not affect the Cypriot Marriage document application.
If you have dependent children, they have no effect on the application to marry a Cypriot citizen.
How long is the Cypriot Marriage document valid?
The document is valid for 6 months from the date of issue. If you do not marry your Cypriot fiancé within 6 months of the issuance of the Cypriot Marriage document, you must apply again with new supporting documents.
List of Cypriot Consulates in Canada
Calling Cyprus from Canada
- The country code is 357 to call you would dial 011 – 357 – local number
Cyprus does not use area codes. Landlines in Cyprus in the major cities follow the following pattern:
- Famagusta: 23xx xxxx
- Larnaca: 24xx xxxx
- Limassol: 25xx xxxx
- Nicosia: 22xx xxxx
- Paphos: 26xx xx
Cell phones begin with 9.
Calling Canada from Cyprus
Dial 00 – 1 – area code – local number
Canadian Area Codes
| Province | Code | Province | Code |
| Alberta | 403 / 587 (southern Alberta)
587 / 780 (central and northern Alberta) |
Nunavut | 867 |
| BC | 236 / 250 / 778 (majority of BC)
236 / 604 / 778 (Metro Vancouver) |
Ontario | 226 / 519 (southwestern Ontario)
249 / 705 (northeastern Ontario) 289 / 365 / 905 (Greater Toronto Area) 343 / 613 (eastern Ontario) 416 / 647 (Toronto) 807 (northwestern Ontario) |
| Manitoba | 204 / 431 | PEI | 782 / 902 |
| New Brunswick | 506 | Quebec | 418 / 581 (eastern Quebec)
438 / 514 (Montreal) 450 / 579 (Greater Montreal) 819 / 873 (remainder of Quebec) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 709 | Saskatchewan | 306 / 639 |
| Northwest Territories | 867 | Yukon | 867 |
| Nova Scotia | 782 / 902 |
Time Difference
Cyprus uses Eastern European Time (GMT+2). Cyprus also participates in Daylight Saving Time, which means the time difference remains the same in the summer (except in Saskatchewan, which doesn’t practice DST). However, during October and March, there is a brief period where Cyprus is one hour closer.
| Canadian Time Zone | # of Hours Cyprus is Ahead | # of Hours Ahead last week of March and last week of October |
| Pacific (BC, Yukon) | 10 hours | 9 hours |
| Mountain (Alberta, western Nunvaut, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan) | 9 hours | 8 hours |
| Saskatchewan | 8 hours* | 8 hours* |
| Central (Manitoba, Northwest Territories, central Nunavut, northwestern Ontario) | 8 hours | 7 hours |
| Eastern (most of Ontario, most of Quebec) | 7 hours | 6 hours |
| Atlantic (Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, eastern Quebec) | 6 hours | 5 hours |
| Newfoundland | 5.5 hours | 4.5 hours |
Emergency Information for Canadians in Cyprus
Consulate of Canada in Nicosia15 Themistocles Dervis Street Postal Address Telephone: 357 (2) 2775-508 |
View Larger Map |
Embassy of Canada in Athens4, Ioannou Ghennadiou Street Telephone: 30 (210) 727-3400 |
View Larger Map |
The Government of Canada’s Travel Alerts for Cyprus
Want to know more about marrying in Cyprus? Let us know!
Sponsorship Review
Immigroup will review your completed spousal sponsorship application. . Immigroup will make sure you have not made any mistakes on your application or in gathering the documentation of your relationship. We will assess your sponsorship letter and give you peace of mind that you are submitting an application with a very good chance of success. Don’t lose sleep at night worrying about whether you’ve done enough. Call us at 1-866-760-2623 for a review.
