Cyprus Government Revokes Citizenship of 86 Foreign Nationals

To date, the government of the Republic of Cyprus has revoked the citizenships of at least 86 foreign nationals who had obtained citizenship through the now-closed investment program.

An official list of the revoked passports, including the names of the holders and the service providers involved, was published over the weekend by the daily newspaper Politis. The document also mentions law firms that helped with the citizenship applications.

The published list contains 77 names, though it is noted that it does not include an additional nine citizenships that were recently revoked by the Cabinet of Ministers, bringing the total number to 86.

The majority of the individuals on the list are Russian nationals, but there are also several Chinese nationals and a few from the Arab or Middle Eastern regions.

The Cabinet of Ministers can revoke a passport on three grounds: submitting false or misleading statements or documents, having a criminal record, or failing to comply with naturalization requirements.

Those whose passports are marked for revocation are notified of the decision and given the opportunity to appeal. A committee reviews the appeal and makes a final decision.

Previously, the Minister of the Interior, Konstantinos Ioannou, refused to disclose the names of foreign investors whose “golden passports” had been revoked.